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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.

John of Mendota, IL March 4, 2009

John of Mendota IL (03/04/09)
I take 2 types of pills for Diabetes - Glipizide and Metformin. I take 1 Glipizide and 2 Metformin with each meal. I have noticed that I always run out of Metformin before my other pills. Today my wife picked up my Prescriptions and when I got home from work I counted my pills. I was 6 short of my Metformin. Over the past year I have accumulated 16 extra Glipizide pills, which would indicate that I was shorted 32 Metformin pills. The CVS Pharmacy in Mendota did correct the count but didn't even offer an apology. If this keeps up I may have to count my pills at the Pharmacy counter before I leave. Incidentally, I know that this has also happened to our neighbor.

Ramona of Callahan, FL March 3, 2009

Ramona of Callahan FL (03/03/09)
I have severe arthritis requiring narcotics on a regular basis for relief. There have been numerous times where my medications have run out sooner than expected and I was unable to fill my perscriptions because it was too soon. A friend had told me that she along with several othes have had issues with their narcotics being filled at the CVS store in Callahan and that they have to count them at the counter when they receive them because many times the scripts are shy several pills.

I had a hard time believing this, but when I picked up a new script in the drive through for hydrocodone, the bag felt lighter than normal, so I pulled around to the CVS parking lot and counted my pills. I was issued 60 instead of 90. Missing 30 pills. THIRTY. When I went in, they apologized, but aparently nobody counted? I thought narcotics have to be counted. Makes me wonder is something more going on in little ole Callahan Florida? Many complaints, and for some reason only narcotics...hmmmmmm.

I am going through horrible withdrawl because I do not have the pain medication I need to get me through. I am not happy at all.

Lenworth of Houston, TX February 23, 2009

Lenworth of Houston TX (02/23/09)
My wife took my 8mth old baby to the doctor and they priscribe Amoxicillin medication for him. i pick up the medication and started giving it to the baby on thursday 2.19.2009 and i notice he had a little bleeding from the nose, but didnt worry about it.

on saturday 2.21.2009 my wife call the pharmacy to find out why the medaction was in a power form. that when they said it was'nt mix and had an attitude about it and told she should bring the medication back, so i went in to the pharmacy and had a talk with the store manager and told her that i will not give them back the medication. they are trying to sweep this one under the carpet but it wont happen this time. i need legal advice.

Sandra of San Pedro, CA February 20, 2009

Sandra of San Pedro CA (02/20/09)
pharmacy gave me another person's med (label and container - tramadol). Gave my prescription oxicotin to someone else i presume. since pharmacise admitted filling it but later couldn't find it. i took the tramadol without looking at container assuming it was mine for severe back pain.

didn't take pain away. had disturbing dreams and interupted sleep

Leon of Inglewood, CA February 19, 2009

Leon of Inglewood CA (02/19/09)
Since 2001 my wife has been taking Tiazac capsules, prescribed by her Dr. for high blood pressure. For 4 years in the Bixby Knolls CVS, and 3 years at the Ingewood CVS, we have went through savere anguish just to get prescriptions filed. I am finally fed up enough to take time out to write a formal complaint. Over all these years my wifes prescription was on time maybe five times.

There is all ways a problem, either they do not have the drug in stock, or they try to talk my wife into taking the generic medication, which does not react well with her condition. A few times she has to skip taking her medication because she would call in the prescription and it would not be in the store at the time they said it would. This causes my wifes condition to worsen every time im sure. Every year customer gets worse.

Today my wife went to pick up a water pill, and her Tiazak 300mg which she called in last Friday, today is Wednesday. The pharmacist checked the computer, and says they dont have any Tiazac. My wife asked if she would go check the shelf, pharmacist found 2 capsules, so she took the two, and must return for full prescription. My wife is laying on the couch right now with a headache.

Headache, anger, waisted gas, time ect. If we added up the time we spent trying to talk to the managers explaining why we can not skip dosages.

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