Pharmacy Dispensing the Wrong Medicines

[Deleted]

My Mom takes several prescription medicines for her health issues. She gets them all filled at the same CVS pharmacy. For the 2nd time in the last 6 months, they have given her the wrong medicine. The label on the bottle was correct both times, but the pills inside the bottles were wrong. 

The first time it was her blood pressure medicine. Fortunately she noticed it looked different from usual and didn’t just take it anyway because if she had, she would’ve been taking much more than what she’s prescribed, which is scary as shit. The pharmacist tried to get her to bring it right back, but since she doesn’t drive, she had to wait until I could take her. She spoke to someone at their corporate office or somewhere about it and when they got back to her, they said they’d spoken with the pharmacist said it wasn’t true, he didn’t give her the wrong medicine.

I know for a fact he lied, because I’m the one that took her to take it back and the girl at the window pissed me off acting like it was impossible that they’d done that. But after she opened it and talked to the pharmacist, her entire demeanor changed because I wasn’t just making shit up.

Now they’ve given her the wrong dosage of Cymbalta. She noticed the pills in the bottle were different sizes. They gave her 2 different dosages in the same bottle. Her prescriptions have not changed in dosage amounts in the 2plus years that I’ve been helping her, so it’s impossible for her to have mixed them up herself.

I’m really upset. It wasn’t just a one-time mistake. What if they give someone the wrong medicine and it’s their first time taking it, so they don’t realize it doesn’t look right? They’re going to kill someone if they haven’t already and that person’s family might not ever know what happened. The thought of that happening to anyone makes me very angry.

Their corporate office (I’ll have to check with my Mom to make sure that’s who she contacted the first time) took the Pharmacist’s word that my Mom was lying and did nothing.

Who else can I contact instead? I told her not to call the pharmacy yet. I want to keep this bottle and the pills long enough to be able to prove what they did this time. I hope someone here can point me in the right direction to try to make sure this doesn’t happen again, to anyone, because I believe these are very serious errors that could potentially be life threatening for someone that doesn’t catch it before they take their medicine, depending on what prescription they screw up.

[sesfw]

I don't know who you would call except what you have already done.  Can you let her Dr know what happened?  Maybe he can steer you in the right direction.

BUT ........... I would definitely find another druggist.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Talk to your state's licensing board for pharmacists. Take photos of everything before you return it to include with your report.

Nothing may come of it but they'll be record so if more people file a claim it'll get noticed.

[chiver78]

she hasn't taken any of the incorrect meds, right? that's my first worry. yikes. 

definitely ask her Dr to give you a prescription for the remaining refills of whatever meds she has at that CVS and bring them somewhere else. that's not even close to okay, esp that it happened a 2nd time. having different doses of the same meds in the same bottle is a HUGE issue. I'll look up some contact info for reporting stuff like that, may take me til tomorrow when I have access to Pharmacovigilance colleagues during business hours. if she had taken any of the incorrect meds and had something happen (however minor) I would have directed you to the drug mfg to submit an adverse effects complaint - this mechanism covers everything from mfg to patient receiving the dose. but because she did not have an adverse reaction, that path isn't available here (I think....will sanity check in am). 

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2020 18:44:17 GMT -5 sesfw said:

I don't know who you would call except what you have already done.  Can you let her Dr know what happened?  Maybe he can steer you in the right direction.

BUT ........... I would definitely find another druggist.

She did call her Dr the first time, to confirm that she should NOT take it. We can call him tomorrow and ask.

Even if she changes pharmacies, I believe something should be done about this one, for the sake of other people this could happen to, if it hasn’t already.

[Deleted]

That's scary.  We've experienced that a time or two with CVS but now they aren't part of our plan.  

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2020 18:53:19 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

she hasn't taken any of the incorrect meds, right? that's my first worry. yikes. 

definitely ask her Dr to give you a prescription for the remaining refills of whatever meds she has at that CVS and bring them somewhere else. that's not even close to okay, esp that it happened a 2nd time. having different doses of the same meds in the same bottle is a HUGE issue. I'll look up some contact info for reporting stuff like that, may take me til tomorrow when I have access to Pharmacovigilance colleagues during business hours. if she had taken any of the incorrect meds and had something happen (however minor) I would have directed you to the drug mfg to submit an adverse effects complaint - this mechanism covers everything from mfg to patient receiving the dose. but because she did not have an adverse reaction, that path isn't available here (I think....will sanity check in am). 

No, she didn’t take any of it either time. With the Cymbalta, she’s picked the correct ones out of the bottle and separated them from the other ones.

When they gave her the wrong blood pressure medicine, IIRC, it was an extended release they gave her, which was suppose to be taken once a day and her real prescription is NOT ER and is to be taken 2 or 3 times a day. I don’t want to think of what could’ve happened if she’d taken it per her prescribed frequency.

I would appreciate whatever you can find out. Since they’ve done it twice with her in a matter of just a few months, it makes me think they are very careless or something else is seriously wrong at this pharmacy. It wasn’t just a one time mistake that they took seriously enough to make sure it never happened again.... because it did happen again, to the same customer a few months later. I would hate for something to happen to one of their other customers and no one ever know that it’s because this pharmacy screwed up their meds. If I can do something to help prevent that from happening, I want to, so thanks!

And yes, she will be changing pharmacies.

[Tiny]

Doesn't this all kind of beg the question - is the pharmacy "cooking it's books"?   Or is someone at that pharmacy covering for someone? 

I would assume there is some sort of "inventory system" that indicates what arrived into "inventory" and then all the scripts that were filled (what went out).    I would think there's some sort of "inventory control" or "review" - I would think maybe monthly?    I get it that mistakes happen... but what level of mistakes is OK?     And wouldn't having some additional people check the filled scripts be part of the procedures?  

It sounds like someone outside this pharmacy needs to make a report/raise a flag/something... 


(FWIW:  I was helping out a friend and picked up her mom's prescriptions.  I had a list of what I was suppose to get, a ball park cost,  and some  pictures of the bottles/tubes with the names of the stuff texted to me.   The cost was 3 times what was expected!  I asked to see what was in the bag - and compared it to my list and the pictures.  They filled the script with a 2 ounce tube of stuff (should have been .5 ounce tube) they had filled what should have been 90 pills with 240 pills OF THE WRONG MEDICINE (a giant bottle of giant pills!  I was suppose to get a smaller bottle) and there was an extra bottle of something not on my list. Everything in the bag was labeled with Mom's name/information AND the medications she was suppose to get.    The clerk/pharmacist at the check out - insisted this was all correct.  And I was like: "yeah, no, something is wrong I ain't paying for this - who can I talk to?."   I wound up NOT picking up the medications and had to come back with my friend to get it figured out.  The pharmacy was like "We have done nothing wrong - it's your fault".    So, yeah, I get it that mistakes happen.)      

People totally need an 'advocate' or another set of eyes helping them when they have multiple medications.  

[Tennesseer]

PC - try calling either the Memphis or Shelby county health department for advice.  Or if there is a seniors (protection?) department try calling them?

[Sharon]

Another thing to consider is perhaps they have changed manufacturers.  Walgreens is my plans preferred pharmacy and in the last 6-9 months every time I get a prescription filled it is always noted that they have changed manufacturers or I get two bottles, to get the right count of pills, but they are from different manufacturers and look different.  This last time my blood pressure medication changed from a small yellow oblong pill to a small pink round pill.  They claim it is different manufacturers.

ETA: Walgreens has been my pharmacy for many years and it is just the last 6-9 months where there is this constant change of manufacturers.

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2020 20:06:14 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Another thing to consider is perhaps they have changed manufacturers.  Walgreens is my plans preferred pharmacy and in the last 6-9 months every time I get a prescription filled it is always noted that they have changed manufacturers or I get two bottles, to get the right count of pills, but they are from different manufacturers and look different.  This last time my blood pressure medication changed from a small yellow oblong pill to a small pink round pill.  They claim it is different manufacturers.

ETA: Walgreens has been my pharmacy for many years and it is just the last 6-9 months where there is this constant change of manufacturers.

Yes, we both know they sometimes change manufacturers. Here, the name of the manufacturer is on the label of the bottle, and there is also a description of the pill and what letters/numbers are stamped on each pill, all on the label.

The letters and numbers stamped on the pills were a big help when she used Google to see what they were. The first time, she confirmed with her Dr. that it was the wrong medicine before she contacted the pharmacy. 

[chiver78]

Sept 7, 2020 20:06:14 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Another thing to consider is perhaps they have changed manufacturers.  Walgreens is my plans preferred pharmacy and in the last 6-9 months every time I get a prescription filled it is always noted that they have changed manufacturers or I get two bottles, to get the right count of pills, but they are from different manufacturers and look different.  This last time my blood pressure medication changed from a small yellow oblong pill to a small pink round pill.  They claim it is different manufacturers.

ETA: Walgreens has been my pharmacy for many years and it is just the last 6-9 months where there is this constant change of manufacturers.

whatever is supposed to be delivered should be printed on the insert, for exactly this reason. generics and whatnot. this sounds like something horribly different. 

[wvugurl26]

I second the recommendation to report them to the state pharmacy board. I would say the state board has the power to discipline them. Your mom may also be able to report them to her insurance company.

My grandma has CVS as well and I am not thrilled with them. They have not screwed up they badly though with her. I need to find her a new plan that has someone besides CVS or Walmart as preferred.

[countrygirl2]

I look mine up quite often, they are changing manufacturers of late. Online you can find the exact pill you have and see what it is.

[chiver78]

Sept 7, 2020 19:08:55 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

Sept 7, 2020 18:53:19 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

she hasn't taken any of the incorrect meds, right? that's my first worry. yikes. 

definitely ask her Dr to give you a prescription for the remaining refills of whatever meds she has at that CVS and bring them somewhere else. that's not even close to okay, esp that it happened a 2nd time. having different doses of the same meds in the same bottle is a HUGE issue. I'll look up some contact info for reporting stuff like that, may take me til tomorrow when I have access to Pharmacovigilance colleagues during business hours. if she had taken any of the incorrect meds and had something happen (however minor) I would have directed you to the drug mfg to submit an adverse effects complaint - this mechanism covers everything from mfg to patient receiving the dose. but because she did not have an adverse reaction, that path isn't available here (I think....will sanity check in am). 

No, she didn’t take any of it either time. With the Cymbalta, she’s picked the correct ones out of the bottle and separated them from the other ones.

When they gave her the wrong blood pressure medicine, IIRC, it was an extended release they gave her, which was suppose to be taken once a day and her real prescription is NOT ER and is to be taken 2 or 3 times a day. I don’t want to think of what could’ve happened if she’d taken it per her prescribed frequency.

I would appreciate whatever you can find out. Since they’ve done it twice with her in a matter of just a few months, it makes me think they are very careless or something else is seriously wrong at this pharmacy. It wasn’t just a one time mistake that they took seriously enough to make sure it never happened again.... because it did happen again, to the same customer a few months later. I would hate for something to happen to one of their other customers and no one ever know that it’s because this pharmacy screwed up their meds. If I can do something to help prevent that from happening, I want to, so thanks!

And yes, she will be changing pharmacies.

you are on my to-do list for the morning, office technically opens at 9am. I actually wish she'd had enough stash to be able to leave this Rx untouched, but I recognize the need to be able to take meds as prescribed. please take pics of all prescriptions you get from that CVS in the meantime til you move elsewhere, at the counter if at all possible, to document any irregularities in what you are actually given. and if anyone gives you a hard time about it, call the PD for an escort, do not leave the pharmacy. you are verifying what you should be getting. this is not at all okay, and like i said earlier, the different doses in the same Rx bottle makes me twitch....badly. 

[justme]

Happening twice, especially so close to the last time is wrong.

Years ago I had two different pills mixed in my bottle. For a while on random days I would feel horrible - sick, dizzy, nauseous, etc couldn't figure it out. Until one day I was taking my meds and accidentally spilled it. Noticed it was two pills (though both were small & white so I thought I was seeing things at first) and looked them up. One was the pill I was supposed to have - and the other was an anti-seizure med! With all the side effects being what was happening to me on random days!!

But the difference was when I brought it back the pharmacist I talked to, looked up something in the computer, mentioned that was likely happened was they had to move to a new bottle and it looked like the wrong one was grabbed, apologized profusely, refilled my prescription immediately, and then even brought it over to me and spilled out the pills in front of me so I could ensure everything was the same, correct pill. 

I never pursued anything more than that, though wondered for a bit if I should. If they had acted anything like they did with you I would have been livid. Is there a possibility of moving to a different pharmacy? I know where I am if I just drove the same distance in another direction I'd hit another CVS and I would do that without a doubt. Second the idea to take photos before you return stuff and if this ever happens again since they already have proven they'll call you a liar. 

[bookkeeper]

This warrants a complaint to your state pharmacy board.  Write them a letter with all the facts laid out and make copies of your documentation/photographs to attach.  This needs to be addressed immediately. 

[swamp]

Sept 7, 2020 18:25:03 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

My Mom takes several prescription medicines for her health issues. She gets them all filled at the same CVS pharmacy. For the 2nd time in the last 6 months, they have given her the wrong medicine. The label on the bottle was correct both times, but the pills inside the bottles were wrong. 

The first time it was her blood pressure medicine. Fortunately she noticed it looked different from usual and didn’t just take it anyway because if she had, she would’ve been taking much more than what she’s prescribed, which is scary as shit. The pharmacist tried to get her to bring it right back, but since she doesn’t drive, she had to wait until I could take her. She spoke to someone at their corporate office or somewhere about it and when they got back to her, they said they’d spoken with the pharmacist said it wasn’t true, he didn’t give her the wrong medicine.

I know for a fact he lied, because I’m the one that took her to take it back and the girl at the window pissed me off acting like it was impossible that they’d done that. But after she opened it and talked to the pharmacist, her entire demeanor changed because I wasn’t just making shit up.

Now they’ve given her the wrong dosage of Cymbalta. She noticed the pills in the bottle were different sizes. They gave her 2 different dosages in the same bottle. Her prescriptions have not changed in dosage amounts in the 2plus years that I’ve been helping her, so it’s impossible for her to have mixed them up herself.

I’m really upset. It wasn’t just a one-time mistake. What if they give someone the wrong medicine and it’s their first time taking it, so they don’t realize it doesn’t look right? They’re going to kill someone if they haven’t already and that person’s family might not ever know what happened. The thought of that happening to anyone makes me very angry.

Their corporate office (I’ll have to check with my Mom to make sure that’s who she contacted the first time) took the Pharmacist’s word that my Mom was lying and did nothing.

Who else can I contact instead? I told her not to call the pharmacy yet. I want to keep this bottle and the pills long enough to be able to prove what they did this time. I hope someone here can point me in the right direction to try to make sure this doesn’t happen again, to anyone, because I believe these are very serious errors that could potentially be life threatening for someone that doesn’t catch it before they take their medicine, depending on what prescription they screw up.

Department of Health.  Errors like that are supposed to be self reported.   Or at least they are in NY.     The wrong dosage in one bottle is easier to understand.  The two different dosages in one bottle is more concerning.   Pharmacists and techs don't count pills, there are machines that do it.    Someone either filled the machine wrong, or it ran out and someone used a different dose. 

Also talk to the supervising pharmacist of the store.   

[chiver78]

ok, after speaking with colleagues, this could (and should) still be reported to the appropriate mfg's as a potential packaging issue. if the Pharmacist is insisting they didn't screw up, maybe they grabbed the appropriately labelled bottles to fill the prescription and the error was made at the fill/finish site. 
*I don't believe this from what you've described, but a case could be made for that. and as such, the mfg needs to track the error and potential impact to patient safety. 

this is where my brain was heading last night, but I wasn't making the connections. I blame vacation/moving brain.   if CVS insists on backing their pharmacist, someone else needs to drive the investigation - and an adverse effect requires the manufacturer to follow up. 

Cymbalta is an Eli Lilly product, and their adverse effects reporting line is 1-800-Lilly-Rx. FDA adverse effects line is 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch

Whoever manufactures the HBP meds will have contact information listed either on their corporate website or the product website. if you can't find it, tag me here with the product name and I will find it for you. good luck, please keep us posted

[chiver78]

Sept 8, 2020 10:04:53 GMT -5 swamp said:

Sept 7, 2020 18:25:03 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

My Mom takes several prescription medicines for her health issues. She gets them all filled at the same CVS pharmacy. For the 2nd time in the last 6 months, they have given her the wrong medicine. The label on the bottle was correct both times, but the pills inside the bottles were wrong. 

The first time it was her blood pressure medicine. Fortunately she noticed it looked different from usual and didn’t just take it anyway because if she had, she would’ve been taking much more than what she’s prescribed, which is scary as shit. The pharmacist tried to get her to bring it right back, but since she doesn’t drive, she had to wait until I could take her. She spoke to someone at their corporate office or somewhere about it and when they got back to her, they said they’d spoken with the pharmacist said it wasn’t true, he didn’t give her the wrong medicine.

I know for a fact he lied, because I’m the one that took her to take it back and the girl at the window pissed me off acting like it was impossible that they’d done that. But after she opened it and talked to the pharmacist, her entire demeanor changed because I wasn’t just making shit up.

Now they’ve given her the wrong dosage of Cymbalta. She noticed the pills in the bottle were different sizes. They gave her 2 different dosages in the same bottle. Her prescriptions have not changed in dosage amounts in the 2plus years that I’ve been helping her, so it’s impossible for her to have mixed them up herself.

I’m really upset. It wasn’t just a one-time mistake. What if they give someone the wrong medicine and it’s their first time taking it, so they don’t realize it doesn’t look right? They’re going to kill someone if they haven’t already and that person’s family might not ever know what happened. The thought of that happening to anyone makes me very angry.

Their corporate office (I’ll have to check with my Mom to make sure that’s who she contacted the first time) took the Pharmacist’s word that my Mom was lying and did nothing.

Who else can I contact instead? I told her not to call the pharmacy yet. I want to keep this bottle and the pills long enough to be able to prove what they did this time. I hope someone here can point me in the right direction to try to make sure this doesn’t happen again, to anyone, because I believe these are very serious errors that could potentially be life threatening for someone that doesn’t catch it before they take their medicine, depending on what prescription they screw up.

Department of Health.  Errors like that are supposed to be self reported.   Or at least they are in NY.     The wrong dosage in one bottle is easier to understand.  The two different dosages in one bottle is more concerning.   Pharmacists and techs don't count pills, there are machines that do it.    Someone either filled the machine wrong, or it ran out and someone used a different dose. 

Also talk to the supervising pharmacist of the store.   

it's not just NY. 

[stillmovingforward]

ONCE our local pharmacy (at safeway) gave us a wrong dosage of the right med. I was told to bring it back between certain hours, was met by the head pharmacist, everything was written out, abject apology was made, a $50 gift card for my trouble (which I didn't ask for) and an explanation that everyone would receive training on how to not let this happen again. It was the 1st time in a year this had happened. The guy was horrified. Said it was unacceptable. I'm horrified at what you encountered.

[Deleted]

I just woke up and just sat down with my coffee. My brain isn’t all the way awake yet. I’ve read the replies, THANK YOU! 

I’ll be back when I’m fully awake.

[Wisconsin Beth]

If your mom is going to insist on continuing to use that pharmacy, she's going to need to get into the habit of open the bottles in front of the pharmacist at pickup to check them.  And if anyone gives her grief, she gets to loudly and proudly state that they've screwed up her meds twice in 6 months and she's not taking any chances. 

My preferred pharmacy actually opens the meds and shows me the pill, asking if it's the same as what I've been taking. 

[thyme4change]

Sept 8, 2020 10:08:40 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

ok, after speaking with colleagues, this could (and should) still be reported to the appropriate mfg's as a potential packaging issue. if the Pharmacist is insisting they didn't screw up, maybe they grabbed the appropriately labelled bottles to fill the prescription and the error was made at the fill/finish site. 
*I don't believe this from what you've described, but a case could be made for that. and as such, the mfg needs to track the error and potential impact to patient safety. 

this is where my brain was heading last night, but I wasn't making the connections. I blame vacation/moving brain.   if CVS insists on backing their pharmacist, someone else needs to drive the investigation - and an adverse effect requires the manufacturer to follow up. 

Cymbalta is an Eli Lilly product, and their adverse effects reporting line is 1-800-Lilly-Rx. FDA adverse effects line is 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch

Whoever manufactures the HBP meds will have contact information listed either on their corporate website or the product website. if you can't find it, tag me here with the product name and I will find it for you. good luck, please keep us posted

I'm tired just reading this thread.

With all the information here, I would write one letter (email) with any documentation and be super specific - times, dates, etc. I would send it to everyone - board of health, CVS corporate, the CVS location, the drug manufacturer. I would start out acknowledging that I am not sure of the proper procedure and I am getting conflicting messages, so I am just sending this to all of you to figure out. And then I would change pharmacies and deal with it as little as possible going forward. But with all of those organizations involved, someone will feel the need to at least pretend it was dealt with.

[chiver78]

Sept 8, 2020 11:22:16 GMT -5 thyme4change said:

Sept 8, 2020 10:08:40 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

ok, after speaking with colleagues, this could (and should) still be reported to the appropriate mfg's as a potential packaging issue. if the Pharmacist is insisting they didn't screw up, maybe they grabbed the appropriately labelled bottles to fill the prescription and the error was made at the fill/finish site. 
*I don't believe this from what you've described, but a case could be made for that. and as such, the mfg needs to track the error and potential impact to patient safety. 

this is where my brain was heading last night, but I wasn't making the connections. I blame vacation/moving brain.   if CVS insists on backing their pharmacist, someone else needs to drive the investigation - and an adverse effect requires the manufacturer to follow up. 

Cymbalta is an Eli Lilly product, and their adverse effects reporting line is 1-800-Lilly-Rx. FDA adverse effects line is 1-800-FDA-1088 or www.fda.gov/medwatch

Whoever manufactures the HBP meds will have contact information listed either on their corporate website or the product website. if you can't find it, tag me here with the product name and I will find it for you. good luck, please keep us posted

I'm tired just reading this thread.

With all the information here, I would write one letter (email) with any documentation and be super specific - times, dates, etc. I would send it to everyone - board of health, CVS corporate, the CVS location, the drug manufacturer. I would start out acknowledging that I am not sure of the proper procedure and I am getting conflicting messages, so I am just sending this to all of you to figure out. And then I would change pharmacies and deal with it as little as possible going forward. But with all of those organizations involved, someone will feel the need to at least pretend it was dealt with.

honestly, all she has to do is drop a dime (or two, if the other med isn't a Lilly one) and then they take care of the rest. they will have a bunch of questions that she/mom can answer as they can. IMHO, CVS has already shown how they will handle this, and Pink's mom needs to take her business elsewhere. but, having the mfg investigate a case of possible mislabelling is going to force CVS to address the fact that the wrong meds were given out by one of their pharmacists, for whatever reason. 

[Deleted]

Ok, so I need to file a complaint with the state pharmacy board (I didn’t know they even existed, but I found the info online), the manufacturer and FDA per chiver78’s post. Do I have that correct?

[chiver78]

manufacturer or the FDA. each will notify the other, it's a mandatory reporting function. 

do you have the contact info for the HBP meds, or do you need me to find that for you? 

[Deleted]

Sept 7, 2020 20:06:14 GMT -5 Sharon said:

Another thing to consider is perhaps they have changed manufacturers.  Walgreens is my plans preferred pharmacy and in the last 6-9 months every time I get a prescription filled it is always noted that they have changed manufacturers or I get two bottles, to get the right count of pills, but they are from different manufacturers and look different.  This last time my blood pressure medication changed from a small yellow oblong pill to a small pink round pill.  They claim it is different manufacturers.

ETA: Walgreens has been my pharmacy for many years and it is just the last 6-9 months where there is this constant change of manufacturers.

Yes, our RX bottles are labeled with name of manufacturer and a description of the pill that should be in there.  I like that a lot 

[Deleted]

Sept 8, 2020 13:33:03 GMT -5 chiver78 said:

manufacturer or the FDA. each will notify the other, it's a mandatory reporting function. 

do you have the contact info for the HBP meds, or do you need me to find that for you? 

Got it!

I have to call my Mom and get the name of the HBP med. If I can’t find the contact info for the manufacturer myself, I will let you know. 

Thank you so much!

[Deleted]

Sept 8, 2020 14:45:49 GMT -5 jenpen said:

If it's feasible for your mom, consider switching to a non-chain, mom-and-pop pharmacy.  This seems to be a growing problem with the chain pharmacies, especially over the past year or so. Google CVS Pharmacy Errors (bold in the quotes is mine)

July 17, 2020 : CVS Agrees To Pay Okla. Over $125,000 In Fines To Address Staffing And Rx Error Woes
www.forbes.com/sites/karenrobinsonjacobs/2020/07/17/cvs-agrees-to-pay-okla-over-125000-in-fines-to-address-staffing-and-rx-error-woes/#74a5b1d32a22

A child’s seizures last summer and consumer letters complaining of mistakes in their prescriptions led to fines in Oklahoma against the nation’s largest pharmacy and to one state official’s conclusion that in many parts of the country, pharmacists are overwhelmed and are making mistakes because of it.

Jan 31, 2020: How Chaos at Chain Pharmacies is Putting Patients at Risk (https://nyti.ms/2Oiw42e) This might be behind a paywall, depending on when you last accessd NYTimes online. Same article w/different headline is posted here: www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-nyt-pharmacy-mistakes-20200201-wp2ftrt2sjhfvjwnmwbtnl3y3i-story.html

    In letters to state regulatory boards and in interviews with The New York Times, many pharmacists at companies like CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens described understaffed and chaotic workplaces where they said it had become difficult to perform their jobs safely, putting the public at risk of medication errors.
They struggle to fill prescriptions, give flu shots, tend the drive-through, answer phones, work the register, counsel patients and call doctors and insurance companies, they said — all the while racing to meet corporate performance metrics that they characterized as unreasonable and unsafe in an industry squeezed to do more with less.
“I am a danger to the public working for CVS,” one pharmacist wrote in an anonymous letter to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy in April.

Oct 2019: Mississippi man sues CVS Pharmacy, says his prescription was filled wrong

(https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2019/10/18/lawsuit-accuses-cvs-pharmacy-wrong-prescription-mississippi-man/4007381002/)

Bell said he was prescribed extended release medication but was given immediate release tablets. The Keppra XR 2000mg medication is used to prevent epilepsy seizures.

Wow!

I certainly believe what the anonymous pharmacist wrote. I hate going to CVS because the wait is always so long to even get to the window and it always takes hours for them to fill a prescription. But that is the preferred pharmacy for my Mom’s insurance. It’s the preferred pharmacy for my insurance too, but I never get my own prescriptions filled there.

I had a conversation a while back with a lady that works for Aetna. A friend of hers works for CVS as a pharmacist in another state and complains about how they don’t adequately staff their pharmacies, so I guess that’s not just a local problem.