Rite Aid settles lawsuit in Riverside County

Rite Aid Corp. has settled a lawsuit with Riverside County and other jurisdictions that alleged the chain’s California-based pharmacists failed to conduct patient consultations, it was announced Monday.

Under the settlement, Rite Aid will pay a total $498,250 to Riverside, San Diego and Alameda counties, as well as implement reforms, according to prosecutors.

The agreement was certified Friday by San Diego County Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil. The civil action was filed in San Diego County and follows a similar settlement in December with CVS Pharmacy Inc.

According to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, an investigation revealed Rite Aid pharmacists neglected to conduct one-on-one consultations with patients receiving new medications or whose existing prescriptions had changed.

The California Board of Pharmacy’s rules require pharmacist consultations under such circumstances, prosecutors said.

Under terms of the settlement, Rite Aid will implement an internal compliance program and pay $158,500 in penalties and other assessments directly to Riverside County to resolve the matter.

There are 582 Rite Aid pharmacies in California, 39 of which are located in Riverside County, according to the D.A.’s office.