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CVS Prescription Errors

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It's estimated there are as many as 7,000 deaths annually in the United States from incorrect prescriptions and pharmacy regulators say the problem is getting worse as the number of prescriptions increases and the number of pharmacists decreases.

But surely a big company like CVS has a way to reduce the number of errors to nearly zero? We'd like to think so but the accounts we hear aren't very encouraging. In addition to the general mishaps below, we have a growing collection of consumer complaints about potentially serious errors including wrong counts, wrong dosage, the wrong drug and mistaken identity. The service pharmacy patients and their caregivers receive also leaves a lot to be desired.

Judie of Cincinnati, OH January 19, 2009

Judie of Cincinnati OH (01/19/09)
I went to pharmacy around 1015am to pick-up a prescription that my doctors office called in around 840am, Monday the 19th of Jan. The pharmacy assistant advised me that they had nothing for me. The pharmacist asked when the doctor called it in and I told them around 845am. I then asked, what time do you open. They said 800am. I then said well maybe they faxed it in? But no record there either said the pharmacist. Rather rude and downgrading attitude the pharmacist said, well give a few minutes to check the voice mail. While I was waiting I decided to call my doctor to check up on the called in prescription no make sure it wasn't called in at the wrong store.

They said they had left a voicemail at the correct phone number and they wanted to talk to the pharmacist. After the call was over the pharmacist said I TOLD YOU I'D CHECK THE VOICE MAIL IN A FEW MINUTES and I have it. During my waiting on the phone to the doctors the pharmacist made no attempt to tell the assitant that she got the voicemail and had the precription.

Rather then appolgize for not checking it earlier or say she was busy she just rather put the blame on the customer and VERY RUDELY! What an attitude she had. I was very quiet and calm since I'm very sick at this time with no energy to complain. When I paid for the meds the assistant said nothing but sign here and it's 15.00...no sorry, no thanks for your patience, nothing. I've been working in Customer Service over 30 years and I would NEVER treat a customer the way your pharmacist treated me. LAST TIME I GO THERE! I think you need some training how to treat customers in your company if you want to keep in business!

Sherrine of Detroit, MI January 17, 2009

Sherrine of Detroit MI (01/17/09)
I rec. the wrong dose medication on more than 2 occassions and when I called in to ask the dosage amount for my prednisne, (not recorded on label only on a sheet that was who knows where, because dosing should be on the label) The same pharmacist that put in motrin 600 (wrong dosage should have been 800 and was previously filled as 800's) told me to take 1 pill a day. Because I've taken prednisone on and off for years I Knew he was wrong. I couldn't remember if I take 7 the 1st day or 6. My rx was for 5 pills for the 1st 2 days and 4 the next 2 days and so on until you get to 1 per day for 2 days. Wow that is a major error. Thank GOD I'm still living and didn't die of an asthma attack or something greater since the rx was so far off.

After telling that pharmacist that he couldn't possibly be looking at my rx he told me to wait a minute and then told me that this drug is usally prescribe like this. I have 16 yrs experience at calling in rx's and being very familiar with dosing of prednisone and I am not a pharmacist. How could he possibly give me directions without looking it up to see how my dr. prescribed it to me. This is too neglegent. Not only did he not care about my rx. he didn't give the slightest concern of even checking. He is not the reg. pharmacist but I am concerned of who does the screening for such an important position.

When I went to the store to complain it turns out the same pharmacist who was incompetant enough to give any directions is the same one who filled my motrin 800's to motrin 600's twice. I have 2 bottles of pills with wrong dosage from the same pharmacist. The rx. was later corrected by one of [their] best pharmacy techs there that was able to see the orig. rx wss for 800's. I have not had a refill since Dec. because I am afraid of going to your pharmacy for anything. I have paid co- pays for medication that were not filled impropperly. I am afraid that because [they] have so many incompetent pharmacist I no longer trust [them] to fill my rx and I have been a patient for years at the location on W 8 Mi Rd 2000 block.

I paid for items that were not filled correctly and that I have not used. I am scared to give them back because I think [CVS] all have the potential to kill me and therefore I keep them close as evidence that you have been dispensing wrong medication and dosages on a consistant bases.

Kerry of Maggie Valley, NC January 15, 2009

Kerry of Maggie Valley NC (01/15/09)
My doctor sent my prescription for the generic for Synthroid via her Blackberry to CVS. A few months later when I had a thyroid blood test my TSH level had gone from about 1+ to 75. For 4 months, they had given me the wrong dosage. Basically, I had no thyroid hormone in my body. I was exhausted after sleeping for 12 hrs, slept every chance I got, and could barely hold my head up at work.

The pharmacy tried to tell me they had checks and balances but I told them they clearly did not. They entered the wrong dosage, no one checked to make sure it was entered correctly, then it was never looked at again since they gave me 4 months of the wrong dosage. Their idea of compensation was to give me the 40 I had spent. I Fed Exed an overnight letter to the CEO of CVS. A flunky called from Asheville and there was no resolution. I spoke to an attorney who told me that basically if they don't kill you or completely disable you, you have no case. Needless to say, I no longer use CVS.

Angela of Morrow, OH December 24, 2008

Angela of Morrow OH (12/24/08)
On 12/17/2008 I dropped off a prescription for an antibiotic for an ear infection for my daughter Abigail born 1/12/2005. Abigail is allergic to penicillin. I completed the transaction through the pharmacy drive though. At the time of payment the pharmacist (Anna) was very short and harsh with me. I signed my paper, and glanced at my RX. For some reason I smelled it, and noticed it smelled horrible. I asked her if it was normal for the rx to smell this bad. She assured me that the rx was fine. She gave me no additional information about the taste or smell of the rx.

I pulled around, and stopped in the parking lot to give my daughter the first dose. Despite the horrible smell, and trusting the pharmacist I gave her the dose. She had 4 ML of CEFUROXIME. Immediately she began screaming uncontrollably. She was strapped in her carseat, but kicking her legs and sticking her hand completely down her throat. She was screaming that the medicine was burning her. I offered her a drink, but she was screaming too much, and to upset to take it. I immediately drove back to through the pharmacy and Anna was still at the window.

With my daughter still screaming in the background, I frantically told her that something must be wrong with the rx. That my daughter was screaming that it was burning her, and she was sticking her hand down her throat gagging herself to try and make it stop. Anna told me again that the rx was fine. At the time Anna was wearing a jacket that said Intern. I asked to speak with that actual pharmacist. She walked away, and sent over the pharmacy tech. I explained that I needed the pharmacist right away, something was wrong with the med and it was burning my daughter. I asked the tech to check to make sure the rx was correct, and to smell it.

She finally took the rx and looked at it. She smelled it, and agreed it smelled awful. At that point (my daughter still screaming uncontrollably), she offered to add flavoring for 2.99. I explained that if there was something wrong with the rx that flavoring it was not correct. The tech insisted that is all that she could do. I then again began asking for the pharmacist. She told me that the pharmacist was not available because she was helping someone. There was NO one at the counter, which I pointed out to her. I also said I think the fact that my daughter is screaming that her throat and mouth is burning should be a priority.

The pharmacist still refused to come and help me. I explained to the tech that she needs to check the med, and the manufacturer to make sure there is nothing that could be corrosive to my daughter. (I did not know if there had been a manufacturer error, or if the rx had been mixed with the wrong liquid etc). Again I insisted that I talk to the pharmacist. Anna finally came on the speaker from a desk behind a wall where I could only see the top of her head. I asked her to come over and help me, and make sure that the rx was not burning my daughter. Again she refused to walk to the window.

At this point I asked for my rx back, and told them I needed to call the doctor, or take her to urgent care for the burning. They offered me the 2.99 flavoring again, and I left. I then called the doctor, who referred me to the poison control center. After about 45 minutes, my daughter stopped screaming. That evening I spent countless minutes on the phone with my daughter's PCP, ENT at Children's Hospital(the doctor who wrote the rx), poison control, CVS corporate office, Kroger Pharmacy (to get the another RX filled, along with many other agencies through out the week.

At about 9 pm that evening, I was looking at the information that came with the RX. I noticed that it said CEFUROXIME substitute for Ceflix. I immediately knew that was not what was written on the RX pad. I knew the pad said Cefzil. I immediately called a different CVS pharmacy in Maineville, and asked him to look at the script. He said that the RX said Cefzil, and it was filled incorrectly. I explained the pharmacist behavior, and he apologized profusely. From the initial error I have filed complaints with the following companies: CVS Corporate. Ohio Pharmacist licence board FDA Ranbuxy (make of the drug that causes her throat to burn).

My daughter who before was file with taking meds, now screams every time. She is petrified that the med will burn her. I am extremely upset at the pharmacist unwillingness to help my daughter. I begged for her to simply make sure that my daughter was ok, and she refused. I left CVS in tears. My insurance was billed 79.21, and I had a 10 copay for the Cefuroxime (the WRONG RX).

I then had to go to another pharmacy, and get another antibiotic (Zithromax)filled. That cost me an additional 10, and my insurance was also billed for the Zithromax. I have had to spend a LOT of time on my cell phone. I have gone over my minutes incurring a large cell bill(I never go over my minutes). At least 500 minutes at .35 cents a minute(175) have been put towards resolving this issue. Along with the time I have spent away from my work, and children.

Brian of Hamilton Square, NJ December 20, 2008

Brian of Hamilton Square NJ (12/20/08)
I have painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and am on the Duragesic patch (fentanyl transdermal system) for control of this pain. While I was using CVS as my pharmacy, on three separate occassions, the pharmacy gave me either the wrong amount (3 boxes rather than 6) or the wrong dose (25 mcg/hr patches rather than 50) of the medication. I am on over a dozen other medications.

The Duragesic is the only one of my meds that is a Schedule II Controlled Substance ... and it was also the only drug that I ever had trouble with, which is odd, since Schedule II drugs are supposed to be double-checked and triple counted. Once, I got out to my car, and in the car, I discovered that I only had 3 boxes of patches (15) instead of the prescribed six boxes (30).

I went running back into the store. Because the drug is a narcotic, the entire pharmacy staff (4 pharmacists and some techs) insisted that I had stolen it ... that they could not have possibly made a mistake. It is a 24 hour store, and I told them that I was not leaving until they corrected their mistake. I stayed in the store for 72 hours (3 days), 24 hours a day, and still they did nothing.

Finally, I threatened to call the State Board of Pharmacy, and the Regional Field Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (I know about these things because I am a former pharmacology researcher for a North Jersey drug company). At this, after three days, the store began some kind of audit trail process. Thirty minutes later, they announced that they were short, not just the three boxes I was missing, but three additional boxes as well.

As I had been on Duragesic for years, I had developed physical dependence on the medication, and was getting sicker as I waited. My entire life had been put on hold for three days for something that was apparently a 30 minute process. The pharmacy publicly humiliated me, loudly insisting that I was a drug addict (I'd been receiving the same dose of Duragesic there for years, as well as many medications for diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, depression, etc) and the pharmacists could not possibly have made an error. I was physically and mentally exhausted after three days without sleep, and had missed two days of work. And this was not the first time this had happened ... and always with the same medication.

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