In an investigative piece, the New York Times (1/31, A1, Gabler) reported on medication mix-ups and other errors at chain pharmacies across the US. The article highlights several such incidents that led to hospitalization and even death, but says “the people least surprised by such mistakes are pharmacists working in some of the nation’s biggest retail chains.” The article says “the American Psychiatric Association is particularly concerned about CVS, America’s eighth-largest company, which it says routinely ignores doctors’ explicit instructions to dispense limited amounts of medication to mental health patients.” Dr. Bruce Schwartz, the president of APA, took aim at CVS’ policy of providing patients with a three-month supply of their prescription drugs, “Clearly it is financially in their best interest to dispense as many pills as they can get paid for.”
Related Links:
— “How Chaos at Chain Pharmacies Is Putting Patients at Risk, ” Ellen Gabler, The New York Times, January 31, 2020