Walgreens agrees to $80M fine to settle oxycodone probe

Walgreens has agreed to pay a record-breaking $80 million penalty to resolve a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into the company's dispensing practices in Florida, including at an Oviedo pharmacy.

The DEA in September banned a Walgreens distribution center in Jupiter from dispensing controlled substances to its pharmacies in Florida and the East Coast, saying it was the single-largest distributor of oxycodone in the state.

The top six Walgreens pharmacies in Florida were also targeted in the probe, including the store on Lockwood Boulevard.

In addition to the penalty, the DEA also said in its settlement made public Tuesday that the Walgreens distribution center and six stores are banned from dispensing Schedule II through Schedule V drugs until 2014, which include the painkillers OxyContin, Percocet and Vicodin, and the sedative Xanax.

"National pharmaceutical chains are not exempt from following the law," said DEA Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville in a prepared statement.

"This settlement sends out a clear message that all DEA registrants will be held accountable when they violate the law and threaten public health and safety," he said. "The DEA will continue its efforts to work with our registrants and our law enforcement partners to combat pharmaceutical drug abuse and diversion in Florida."

In a written statement released Tuesday from Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness for Walgreens, said the company has worked closely with DEA in recent months to reach the agreement and has taken measures to enhance its ordering processes and inventory systems.

"As the largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., we are fully committed to doing our part to prevent prescription drug abuse," Crawford's statement said. "We also will continue to advocate for solutions that involve all parties including leaders in the community, physicians, pharmacies, distributors and regulators to play a role in finding practical solutions that combat the abuse of controlled substances and ensure patient access to critical medications."

Several years ago, Florida became a top destination for drug addicts and dealers because of the state's proliferation of pain-management clinics and lax laws.

By 2010, 90 of the top 100 oxycodone-buying physicians in the country were from Florida.

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Walgreens agrees to $80M fine to settle oxycodone probe