Food City reps call Attorney General opioid lawsuit allegations ‘incorrect’ and ‘unfair’
K-VA-T Food Stores, the parent company of Food City Supermarkets, has issued a response to a lawsuit filed by Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery on Thursday in Knox County Circuit Court.
The statement said:
“Earlier today, the Tennessee Attorney General filed a lawsuit against K-VA-T Food Stores, Inc. regarding prescriptions for controlled substances filled at some of its pharmacy locations in Tennessee a decade or more ago. K-VA-T vehemently disagrees with the allegations contained in the lawsuit and will vigorously defend itself through the litigation process.
“The lawsuit’s allegations are grossly incorrect and unfair regarding Food City’s approach to serving its pharmacy customers. K-VA-T recognized during the relevant time period that a few of its pharmacies dispensed a high volume of pain management prescriptions. Therefore, the company contracted with independent auditors and experts in pharmacy best practices to assure that its dispensing practices were compliant with all state and federal regulations.
“K-VA-T has regularly been subject to oversight and inspection by state and federal regulators, including the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy. Food City pharmacies filled prescriptions written by physicians and healthcare professionals licensed by the State of Tennessee and registered with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. The methods, practices and physician perspectives on pain management have changed dramatically over the past decade or more, and it is unfortunate that this course of action was pursued more than a decade after most of the allegations cited by the Attorney General’s office allegedly occurred. The Attorney General, unfortunately, has joined the nationwide bandwagon led by the plaintiff’s bar in bringing meritless attacks against pharmacies, having failed to make measurable progress in its efforts to hold manufacturers, distributors, and physicians accountable.
“K-VA-T cooperated fully with the Attorney General’s investigation prior to the filing of this complaint, and K-VA-T’s attempts to resolve this matter with the Attorney General were rejected. It is particularly troubling that the Attorney General chose this particular time amid the already challenging COVID-19 burdens to attack a local business that the State of Tennessee has deemed essential – a company that is an employer of thousands of Tennesseans during the worst economic environment in recent history. However, K-VA-T will expend its time and resources to defend itself to correct the serious misrepresentations made by the Attorney General.”
(IMAGE: K-VA-T / Food City corporate)