Rite-Aid is one of the leading pharmacies, but is it also a leading cause of the opioid epidemic?

Rite-Aid has been the top pharmacy since 1982, but that’s all about to change. The pharmacy was originally founded in 1962 under the name of Thrif D Discount Center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Their name was eventually changed to Rite-Aid in 1968.

On Sunday, October 15th, Rite-Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, meaning that they will continue to operate and they will be protected from debt collectors. The next day, they announced that they would initially be closing 154 stores across the nation.

Rite-Aid is shutting down stores due to slow sales and accusations of fueling the opioid epidemic with its illegally over-filled prescriptions.

In March of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice filed a complaint regarding Rite-Aid pharmacists over-filling prescriptions with obvious red flags. They state that, “…from May 2014 through June 2019, Rite Aid knowingly filled at least hundreds of thousands of unlawful prescriptions for controlled substances that lacked a legitimate medical purpose, were not for a medically accepted indication, or were not issued in the usual course of professional practice.” These prescriptions included “The Trinity”, meaning, a mix of an opioid, a benzodiazepine, and a carisoprodol. Due to all this controversy, Rite-Aid has faced over 1,000 lawsuits linked to the illegal sales of countless different opioid pain pills.

Regarding current patient prescriptions, they plan to send them over to a nearby pharmacy. Employees at closing Rite-Aid stores are expected to be given the opportunity to transfer to other locations where possible.

If you or a loved one are battling an opioid addiction, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone. The opioid hotline is 1-800-662-4357 and it is completely confidential. If you’re struggling, there is always help available.