Two CVS pharmacies in central Florida have lost their controlled substances licenses following accusations by the DEA that they were dispensing excessive amounts of addictive prescription painkillers such as OxyContin and Vicodin.
During the course of 2010-11, the two Sanford stores' pharmacists had dispensed hundreds of thousands of tablets of the painkillers, including many prescriptions for out-of-state customers.
"We are reviewing the decision, evaluating our options and determining the best way to continue to serve our customers," CVS said in a statement.
"Meanwhile, we have responded to the DEA's concerns, including implementing enhancements to our policies and procedures for filling controlled substance prescriptions."
According to the U.S. government, deaths from narcotic painkillers top deaths from cocaine and heroin combined.
The case, Holiday CVS LLC v. Justice Department et al, will be heard in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
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