Our opioid response

CVS Health has made a commitment to help address the misuse of prescription opioids by designing programs and collaborating with community leaders, policymakers, law enforcement, health care professionals and others to increase community-based educational programs related to opioid misuse, create safe prescription drug disposal sites, expand access to life-saving antidotes and advocate for targeted and effective policies, locally and nationally.
Our comprehensive enterprise approach includes:
-
Safe medication disposal units installed in more than 3,000 CVS Pharmacy locations nationwide
-
Donated over 1,000 safe medication disposal units to local police departments across the country
-
Pharmacist counseling for patients filling their first opioid prescription
-
Enhanced utilization management for our CVS Caremark clients
-
Community investments to support addiction recovery and prevention
-
Opioid misuse prevention education for teens and parents
-
Access to and advocacy for opioid-overdose reversal medication
-
Ongoing advocacy to promote prescription drug monitoring programs, prescription limitations, and e-prescribing
-
Board-level oversight of our opioid-related safety, programs and initiatives
Aetna has also employed a comprehensive strategy to fight opioid misuse, with the goal to drastically reduce overprescribing and misuse.
Aetna’s strategic programs focus on prevention, intervention and support for treatment, including ‘super-prescriber’ interventions to physicians, surgeons and dentists with outlying opioid prescribing habits; Aetna Pharmacy’s Controlled Substance Use programs that identify and intervene with at-risk members; and the Guardian Angel pilot program to identify and outreach to members who recently experienced an opioid-related overdose.
Our ongoing opioid misuse prevention efforts and enterprise initiatives are supported by all parts of the company — including our CVS Pharmacy retail presence in nearly 10,000 communities across the country, CVS Caremark, our PBM that manages medications for more than 100 million plan members — and reach patients, providers, payors, advocacy organizations, elected leaders and community health advocates.
Working in collaboration with these health care stakeholders, CVS Health is committed to helping to address opioid misuse.
How we’re focused on you
Related opioid misuse and abuse news
-
CVS Health Statement on Federal Opioid Liability Trial Verdict in Cleveland, OH CVS Health Statement on Federal Opioid Liability Trial Verdict in Cleveland, OH
CVS Health Statement on Federal Opioid Liability Trial Verdict in Cleveland, OH
We strongly disagree with the decision. We’re proud of the substantial work we’ve done to support our pharmacists in detecting illegitimate prescribing of opioids.Statement - November 23, 2021 -
CVS Health completes rollout of time delay safes in all of its Oklahoma pharmaciesCVS Health completes rollout of time delay safes in all of its Oklahoma pharmacies
CVS Health completes rollout of time delay safes in all of its Oklahoma pharmacies
CVS Health completes rollout of time delay safes in all of its Oklahoma pharmacies
Press Release - December 10, 2020 -
CVS Health expands availability of resources to prevent opioid misuse amid pandemicCVS Health expands availability of resources to prevent opioid misuse amid pandemic
CVS Health expands availability of resources to prevent opioid misuse amid pandemic
CVS Health expands availability of resources to prevent opioid misuse amid pandemic
Press Release - October 21, 2020 -
CVS Health combines “Guardian Angel” and Unite Us programs to support opioid overdose victims in North Carolina CVS Health combines “Guardian Angel” and Unite Us programs to support opioid overdose victims in North Carolina
CVS Health combines “Guardian Angel” and Unite Us programs to support opioid overdose victims in North Carolina
Press Release - March 16, 2020 -
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its Virginia Pharmacies CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its Virginia Pharmacies
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its Virginia Pharmacies
Press Release - December 16, 2019 -
CVS Health Announces $750K in New Funding for California Harm Reduction Coalition CVS Health Announces $750K in New Funding for California Harm Reduction Coalition
CVS Health Announces $750K in New Funding for California Harm Reduction Coalition
Press Release - December 12, 2019 -
CVS Health Launches Transform Oncology Care Program to Help Improve Patient Outcomes and Lower Overall Costs CVS Health Launches Transform Oncology Care Program to Help Improve Patient Outcomes and Lower Overall Costs
CVS Health Launches Transform Oncology Care Program to Help Improve Patient Outcomes and Lower Overall Costs
Press Release - December 12, 2019 -
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its West Virginia Pharmacies CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its West Virginia Pharmacies
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its West Virginia Pharmacies
Press Release - December 9, 2019 -
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its North Carolina Pharmacies CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its North Carolina Pharmacies
CVS Health Completes Rollout of Time Delay Safes in All of Its North Carolina Pharmacies
Press Release - December 2, 2019 -
CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Ohio, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Ohio, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations
CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Ohio, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations
Press Release - October 25, 2019 -
CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Wisconsin, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Wisconsin, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations
CVS Health Expands Safe Medication Disposal Program in Wisconsin, Giving Customers Drug Disposal Options in All CVS Pharmacy Locations
Press Release - October 23, 2019 -
CVS Pharmacy to Offer Safe Medication Disposal Chain-Wide in 2020 CVS Pharmacy to Offer Safe Medication Disposal Chain-Wide in 2020
CVS Pharmacy to Offer Safe Medication Disposal Chain-Wide in 2020
Press Release - October 24, 2019