** Shares of pharmacy operator Walgreens Boot Alliance WBA.O fall 7.4% to $11.59 premarket
** Late on Friday, U.S. Justice Department accused WBA of contributing to the opioid epidemic by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions for addictive painkillers and other drugs
** The DoJ lawsuit was announced after WBA filed a lawsuit on Thursday challenging U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration policies seeking to ensure that stricter standards at pharmacies for dispensing controlled substances
** "We see this as largely headline risk for the time being, with an opportunity for the courts to set out clearer pathways going forward regarding pharmacist/pharmacy obligations regarding filling prescriptions" - brokerage Evercore ISI
** WBA fell 64.3% in 2024
(Reporting by Puyaan Singh)
((Puyaan.Singh@thomsonreuters.com;))
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