Walgreens Sued for Negligence in Vicodin Overdose Death
From the article:
Now Walgreens is being sued for negligence in the case of a man who died from a Vicodin overdose in August, 2012.
Despite a call to Walgreens from John P. Oles’ doctor on April 20, 2010, telling the pharmacy not to fill any more Vicodin prescriptions for Oles because he was abusing the drug, the pharmacy continued to fill prescriptions through July 2012, when Oles died of an opiate overdose. Last week Oles’ mother filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Walgreens.
According to the lawsuit, a note that Oles was abusing Vicodin was placed in his Walgreens computer file after the physician called, but the pharmacy still continued to refill the prescription, despite the fact that Oles’ primary physician was no longer prescribing the drug.
Walgreens corporate officials created bonus programs that gave pharmacists encouragement to sell Oxycodone and ignore warnings that the customers were abusing the drug.
DEA documents said that Walgreens was encouraging its employees to sell even more Oxycodone, even though dozens of people in Florida were dying from prescription drug overdoses, as in the Vicodin death the current negligence lawsuit pertains to.
An AMA spokesman says that physicians in over 20 states are reporting the inappropriate restriction of legitimate patient access to pain medications, which in some cases causes serious treatment issues. The American Academy of Pain Management has developed an on-line complaint form for patients and doctors to use who are having trouble filling prescriptions at Walgreens.
At this time John P. Oles’ Vicodin overdose death is the only lawsuit of that type filed against Walgreens. As of yet there have been no lawsuits filed over the issue of being unable to get prescriptions filled by the pharmacy.
Here is the link to that form https://www.research.net/s/WalgreensGFDPolicy
Filed under: General Problems
I think it’s the patient at fault for his/her own death and I’m sick and tired of the lack of personal responsibility and this mother has the nerve to sue the drugstore because her son continued to get his pills? Hell he would’ve just got them somewhere else, in my opinion. These lawsuits like this need to go in the trash. It’s not like walgreens gave him someone else’s medication and caused his death. This is ridiculous.
Here’s what we dont know..primary said in his opinion he was seeker and cut him off, suppose he found a pain mgmt md who found a legit reason for the pain med, and told that to said pharmacist whem they called about it, but some one didnt take out the note in the computer. And suppose the patient was undertreated or had such severe depression, he felt checking out of life was the only solution , so he swallowed everything with a gin chaser. We wont know because there will be a non disclosure agreement sealed and Wags is off thel hook. But good chance the pharmacist is left holding the bag. Patient may have planned this all along. Media will never tell us the end of the story. Dont judge til ALL the EVIDENCE is laid out before you!
Amazing.. all I did was post the article.. the only comment that I made was to place the link to Walgreens’ GFP.. Everything else is from the published article. Yet some come out bashing me… need I say more about the mindset behind some of these professional discretion decisions ?
I’m with PharmD here. The patient with chronic pain was filling his Vicodin for years before killing himself. Steve should be proud of the pharmacists who filled those prescriptions.
By the way. Why nobody, including Steve paid attention that the doctor stopped wring the scripts in 2010, but the patient continued receiving his Vicodin until 2012? If the patient had any refills, they would only be good for 5 refills or 6 months? Was there another doctor writing those prescriptions?
It is clear that the doctor TOLD Walgreens to STOP filling for this man! Instead the drug police at Walgreens ignored the doctor. This just goes to show that our doctors here in FL are good doctors! The rogue ones are GONE! been Gone!
Walgreens just keeps screwing up! Not filling for those who are supposed to be filled-( Legitimate) and INSTEAD- continuing to fill for ADDICTS ! Now how does it feel to be the Drug Police??
Get your facts straight before attacking Steve!
In my opinion? Just fill the damn prescriptions, and let the addicts ( minority) do what ever they want.
Make them sign a release of liability for these medicines, if no allergy or adverse reactions between drugs..Doctors have drug contracts so why not pharmacies?
This way, the majority- Legit patients can get their medicines and stop suffering. There is No way to be absolutely sure about anything.. Only GOD knows for sure who is who. This is no reason to NOT fill control Rx’s. Period..
Are you stupid – that arrogant – you cant read! Why would that be a victory for Steve? Pharmacies and pharmacist are refusing to fill legitimate scripts for chronic pain people and now when a doctor says don’t fill it they do and some one dies. And you get on your ignorant band wagon as to what a victory for some one standing behind the ethical pain doctors! Steve puts his money where his mouth his – legitimate doctors and legal prescriptions. What about you ignoramus – pharmD??? – you compare this?
This story should be a victory for Steve! Walgreens filled any Rx for the patient without question. The patient died. Steve should be lining up in court at this point to defend the pharmacy and pharmacist for doing what he thinks he is. Put your money where your mouth is Steve!