Lawsuit says Fred Meyer pharmacy error ‘significantly’ hurt woman’s chances of becoming pregnant

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2015/07/lawsuit_claims_fred_meyer_phar.html

A woman who says she had to be rushed to the emergency room after a Fred Meyer pharmacy employee gave her the wrong prescription drug — hurting her chances of one day having a baby — has filed a $680,000 lawsuit against the chain.

Anna Bell claims that she had presented the pharmacy at the Southwest Portland Barbur Boulevard store with a prescription for the fertility drug clomiphene. But instead, the pharmacy employee gave her a different drug that had a similarly spelled name.

That made a world of difference, according to Bell’s lawsuit, filed last week in Multnomah County Circuit Court.

After just one dose of the wrong drug, Bell suffered “severe bodily injuries” — prompting her to be rushed by ambulance to the hospital, where she was admitted, according to her suit. She suffered “severe pain, shock to her nervous system, sleeplessness, fear, nervousness, nausea, balance issues, altered consciousness” and other problems.

Her suit states that she had to stop fertility treatments while she was recovering from the pharmacy’s mistake and that the episode has “now significantly impacted her ability to conceive a child.”

Melinda Merrill, a spokeswoman for Fred Meyer, declined comment because of the  pending litigation. But Merrill offered this comment: “The safety and well-being of our pharmacy patients is our top priority, and we take any problems extremely seriously.”

Although Bell’s allegations have yet to be tried in court, pharmacy mistakes nationwide have been a long-standing concern.

In 2012, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported on an Oregon pharmacy board survey of about 1,300 respondents. Many complained of having to fill more prescriptions each day and long, intense shifts with few breaks. Some respondents expressed worry over the frequency of mistakes.

Roughly 52 percent of those who worked for chain pharmacies reported that they disagreed or strongly disagreed with the statement “My employer provides a work environment that is conducive to providing safe and effective patient care.”

Bell’s lawsuit states that Bell picked up the prescription at Fred Meyer’s Burlingame store at 7555 S.W. Barbur Boulevard.

She seeks $30,000 in past and future medical bills; $150,000 for a grant she says she lost to continue research work at Oregon Health & Science University; and $500,000 for pain and suffering.

Hillsboro attorney M. Casey Gibbens is representing Bell. He couldn’t be reached comment Monday or Tuesday.

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