DEA Archived Press Releases

Press Releases before January 20, 2025
13 Results - Showing 1 to 10
PRESS RELEASE

OptumRx Agrees to Pay $20M to Resolve Allegations that It Filled Opioid Prescriptions in Violation of the Controlled Substances Act

SAN DIEGO – OptumRx Inc., a prescription drug benefit provider, has agreed to pay $20 million to resolve allegations that it improperly filled certain opioid prescriptions in violation of the Controlled Substances Act. The settlement resolves an investigation initiated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) into whether, between April 2013...
PRESS RELEASE

Palomar Hospital Pays $250,000 for Diverting Fentanyl

SAN DIEGO – Palomar Health, a California public health care district located in San Diego County, has paid $250,000 to resolve allegations of diversion of fentanyl from one of its facilities and failure to keep accurate records for fentanyl. Palomar Health is California’s largest health care district, with campuses in...
PRESS RELEASE

Doctor and Office Manager Indicted in Scheme to Defraud Medicare, Manufacture and Distribute Fentanyl

SAN DIEGO - Dr. David J. Smith, a pain management physician, and his office manager, Julia Ann Oertle, are charged in a federal grand-jury indictment with perpetuating a long-running scheme to commit healthcare fraud and to manufacture and distribute adulterated fentanyl. Smith made his initial appearance today before U.S. Magistrate...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Gears Up for National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

SAN DIEGO - The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 23rd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This event offers anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide, to include 23 drop-off locations in San...
PRESS RELEASE

National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Results in DEA and Partners Collecting Hundreds of Thousands of Pounds

SAN DIEGO – On April 30, 2022, communities across the country demonstrated their support for DEA’s annual National Prescription Drug Take Back Day by dropping off more than 720,000 pounds of unneeded medications at 5,144 collection sites. Since 2010, DEA, along with its law enforcement partners, has collected nearly 16...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA Holds 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day to Prevent Addiction and Reduce Overdose Deaths

SAN DIEGO– The Drug Enforcement Administration will host its 22nd National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this Saturday, April 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This bi-annual event offers free, anonymous disposal of unneeded medications at more than 4,000 local drop-off locations nationwide. “Disposing of unneeded medications can help...
PRESS RELEASE

San Diego Pharmacy Pays $105,000 Penalty for Illegitimately Dispensing Opioids

SAN DIEGO – San Diego’s Balboa Pharmacy has paid $105,000 to resolve allegations that it illegally dispensed opioids and other dangerous drugs to its patients, according to a settlement agreement signed by Balboa Pharmacy and the United States. The settlement stems from the United States’ continued efforts to combat the...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day Brings in nearly 745,000 Pounds of Unneeded Medications, Continues Fight against Opioid Epidemic

SAN DIEGO - The Drug Enforcement Administration, along with its law enforcement partners, has removed close to 745,000 pounds of unneeded prescriptions from medicine cabinets across the country as part of DEA’s ongoing commitment to turn the tide against the U.S. opioid epidemic. Following last month’s 21st National Prescription Drug...
PRESS RELEASE

San Diego Doctor Pays $200,000 to Resolve Allegations that He Wrote Illegitimate Opioid Prescriptions

SAN DIEGO – San Diego area pain clinic doctor Brenton Wynn, M.D., has paid $200,000 to resolve allegations that he illegally prescribed opioids and other dangerous drugs to his patients, according to a settlement agreement signed by Dr. Wynn and the United States. The settlement stems from the United States’...
PRESS RELEASE

DEA to hold 20th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day

SAN DIEGO – With opioid overdose deaths increasing during the pandemic, the Drug Enforcement Administration is holding its 20th Take Back Day this Saturday, April 24th. DEA has collected over 6,800 tons of prescription drugs over the 10-year span of Take Back Day, and during DEA’s October 2020 Take Back...