United States obtains $3.1 million in judgments against Darien Pharmacy and its pharmacist

SAVANNAH, GA: A pharmacy and pharmacist owe $3.1 million in civil judgments to resolve claims that they violated the Controlled Substances Act.

The settlement, a result of the first-ever Controlled Substances Act lawsuit filed by the United States against a pharmacy in the history of the Southern District of Georgia, is among substantive results in the ongoing efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Georgia to fight the prescription opioid crisis.

Darien Pharmacy, located in Darien, Ga., and its former pharmacist-in-charge, Janice Ann Colter, have agreed to judgments totaling $3.1 million to resolve a civil lawsuit alleging they filled thousands of prescriptions that they knew or should have known were not issued for legitimate medical reasons, including prescriptions for extremely high quantities of opioids, said Bobby L. Christine, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia.

“Our office is serious about combatting the opioid crisis, and will fight for penalties to underline that message when medical professionals and businesses fail to follow the law,” said U.S. Attorney Christine. “Pharmacies have a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion.”

Read more: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdga/pr/united-states-obtains-31-million-judgments-against-darien-pharmacy-and-its-pharmacist