Walmart sued by US over alleged role in fuelling America's opioid crisis

Retailer accused of filling thousands of invalid prescriptions' and pressuring pharmacists to act irresponsibly

The US Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against Walmart on Tuesday, alleging that the retail giant filled thousands of invalid prescriptions" for powerful painkillers, helping fuel America's opioid crisis.

Walmart runs more than 5,000 pharmacies across the country. Until 2018, the chain was a wholesale distributor of controlled substances for its own pharmacies, giving it extensive reach into many communities.