Woman denied pain medication shares her story with WESH 2 News  VIDEO ON WEBSITE LINK

http://www.wesh.com/news/woman-denied-pain-medication-shares-her-story-with-wesh-2-news/38570936

This Pharmacist’s decision seems to be in direct violation of the new FL BOP regulation.  The last I knew there was a DISTRICT MANAGER of WALGREENS as a FL BOP member.  

APOPKA, Fla. —Patients are being denied legitimate prescription medication by pharmacists.

WESH 2 News spoke with one woman who said her prescription for pain medication was not filled and she was shocked to learn why.

Without medication, Angela Barrett said she would not be on her feet.

“I wake up sometimes and my feet will be numb and I literally cannot feel them to walk. If I got out of bed, I would fall,” Barrett said.

Barrett’s back was broken in a 2002 car accident. After surgery failed, Barrett said the Percocet and morphine her doctor prescribed are the only things that help her live a normal life.

“I wouldn’t be able to function,” Barrett said.

After going to the same Apopka Walgreens for four years, her prescription was denied Wednesday for a reason that shocked her. The pharmacist said he was not comfortable filling the prescription because she had her birth control pills prescription filled at a different Walgreens last month.

Special Section: State of Pain

It’s at the pharmacist’s discretion whether to fill a prescription or not.

For more than a year, WESH 2 News has reported on patients being denied prescriptions, sometimes not even being told why. In the past, pharmacists have said one red flag to them is when they see patients shopping at multiple pharmacies, far from home. But in this case, Barrett stayed local and stayed within the Walgreens chain when she bought her birth control last month at a branch just over 11 miles away from her usual pharmacy.

In a statement, Walgreens said:

“For patient safety, we encourage patients to choose one pharmacy or pharmacy chain to have all of their prescriptions filled. We believe it is important for patients to use a single pharmacy so that pharmacists can monitor their medications, avoid potential drug interactions and work with patients on their overall wellness.”

Barrett said another Walgreens nearby filled it with no problem. Barrett said she finds that confusing.

“It doesn’t make any sense, it makes no common sense, that’s for sure,” Barrett said.

Walgreens said generally speaking, buying birth control at one location should not prevent you from buying medication at another.

 

Filed under: General Problems