Pt is SOL because pharmacy/pharmacist doesn’t want to keep inventory for her routine medication

What is the pharmacy’s responsibility in filling an rx that they don’t have in stock? I live in Oklahoma. All schedule 2 Rxs must be submitted electronically ( or so I’ve bee told). Pharmacy law here states schedule 2 Rxs cant be transferred. How do I obtain my medication without having to wait another day or two?  And yes my rx is eligible for fill on the date written. Basically I was told – by WalMart’s Pharmacist… I was SOL.  Tried to get my dr to send to another pharmacy but he wasn’t in the office. Please advise. Thanks

 

response from pt:

Thank you!  I called my pharmacy to discuss what you said about DEA allowing schedule 2 rxs to be transferred to another pharmacy… they say OK law doesn’t allow this. Also I’m not allowed to pick up my original rx and take it myself to another pharmacy.  Walmart is the pharmacy in question. I’m going to take your advice on going to an independent pharmacy.  Walgreens here in town is just as unreliable about keeping meds in stock.  It shouldn’t be so hard to get meds!!!

Again thank u so much for your quick response and advice!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Within the last year, the DEA allowed pharmacies to transfer electronically submitted C-II’s to another pharmacy electronically… there still seems to be some hangups with states having to change their state laws to match the Federal DEA law and/or pharmacy computer system have not implemented the necessary software changes.  A pt can’t “pick up ” the electronic Rx because all hard copy prescriptions have to be physically SIGNED by the prescriber.  Having C-II’s electronically sent to a pharmacy can be very problematic being sent to pharmacies that is out of stock or just doesn’t want to fill it.

apparently one or more pharmacists at this particular Walmart in OK… was intentionally throwing this – and how many other pts – into cold turkey withdrawal without concerns about the pt’s quality of life (QOL) and them being able to function for a couple of days …waiting for them to get their ass in gear.

Some pharmacy practice acts states that (paraphrased)  a pharmacy is required to maintain adequate stock to be able to fill the typical/normal medications that they have requests for in their market place.

One Response

  1. Isn’t throwing a patient into cold-turkey withdrawal medically dangerous? As in, can’t people die? Why isn’t this malpractice? It’s happening all over the place, & I do not understand how intentionally putting patients into a dangerous condition is okay –medically or morally– whether it’s done by a pharmacist or a physician.

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