US Court Lets Two CVS Caremark Corporation's Stores Sell Controlled Drugs-Reuters

Reuters reported that a U.S. appeals court ruled that CVS Caremark Corporation may continue selling potentially addictive prescription drugs at two Florida pharmacies, blocking a Drug Enforcement Administration order to suspend shipments. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued an order on Wednesday temporarily lifting a February 4 DEA suspension that was issued because of concerns that CVS was not adequately watching for prescription abuse. The DEA said the two CVS pharmacies in Sanford, about 30 miles south of Orlando, were inappropriately filling prescriptions for the painkiller oxycodone, which can be highly addictive. Initially a federal district court judge blocked the DEA order but on Tuesday agreed to let it take effect. CVS appealed the decision. The appeals court in Washington on Wednesday granted CVS's request and issued a stay pending further proceedings. The court ordered CVS to file a response by March 19 and the DEA to file its response by March 21, according to the court docket.