I’m not comfortable being a Pharmacist ?

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

This showed up on another Face Book page… https://www.facebook.com/PainPatientRightsandAdvocacy

We now have Pharmacists “not comfortable filling” C-V’s ?

I have had to move for my job around the DC metro area, over to the Maryland side instead of the VA side. But I kept my doctor on the VA side because he’s good.

I do not get prescriptions for pain. I do use a medication like Lyrica to treat widespread body pain that is mysterious.

I have been filling this same prescription every month for 5 years with CVS — wherever I was in the country.

Today I went to Store 1416, where the “pharmacist” Trinh Tran, sayid she was uncomfortable filling my prescription. I asked her why and she initially didnt say any thing. I and I again asked “Why on earth can’t you fill it?” SHe said that because I live in Maryland (and she assumed my doctor wsa also in MD), I should get the prescription filled at a place closer to my home.

Once I pulled out my doctor’s business card, showing he is 5 minutes down the street, she held on to her “I don’t feel comfortable filling this”. I can’t be on the ‘list’ of pain medication abusers….I don’t use them. The only other factor is that she was discriminating against me for having a disability. And the ADA covers this”

I am a real doctor. They had no idea. Ms. Tran, and “Manager” (who looked about 21) Ms. Reed, you can prepare to have your licenses revoked.

If you had TOLD ME A REASON, even if I didn’t agree with it, I may not have taken the action I’m taking. But this is no different than Black people being inferior to white people. It’s ludircous, not supported by science, and your not filling my legitimate prescription I fill EVERY MONTH at CVS with NO CAUSE is going to cost you. It’s OK that you wouldn’t give me your employee numbers — I found them. Your company, the DEA, and the state of VA will not hear the end of this.

And I have 400 people ready to go in on a class action lawsuit…that would be even more fun, putting non-doctors out of the way of real doctors.

I went to a CVS 10 minutes from you and they filled it with a smile. What your problem was, is, and will always be, is none of my concern….you could have caused me great harm if I didn’t get my medication before the morning.

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How the DEA Stole Christmas

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

How the DEA Stole Christmas

http://reason.com/archives/2015/01/01/how-the-dea-stole-christmas

If Santa Claus existed, the feds would probably mistake the operation for a drug cartel. So goes the premise of St. Nic, Inc. (Southern Yellow Pine), S.R. Staley’s comic thriller about a Drug Enforcement Administration operation that nearly takes Christmas down.

Staley, a frequent contributor to Reason, teaches economics at Florida State when he isn’t writing novels. He draws on both careers when describing NP Enterprises, an Arctic software firm and toy distribution network run by one Nicole Klaas. Nicole, the fourth Klaas to run the family business, relies heavily on the skills of the world’s little people, for whom the company’s polar community is a haven against the discrimination they face down south.

Their cash transactions catch the government’s eye, and soon a federal agent is convinced he’s found a nest of narco-traffickers. He hasn’t spotted any actual drugs, but the pattern looks unmistakable. And then a bona fide War on Christmas begins.

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Our Justice system is “blind” unless it becomes personal ?

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

Sex, Spice, and Small-Town Texas Justice: The Purple Zone Raid

On the morning of May 7, 2014, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched Project Synergy Phase II, a national “day of raids” in 29 states, with the goal of taking down purveyors of synthetic drugs who funnel their proceeds to Middle Eastern terrorist organizations.

The Purple Zone, a smoke shop in Alpine, Texas, owned by 29-year-old Ilana Lipsen, was the target of one of these raids. This particular raid was so heavy handed and its aftermath so clumsily handled by law enforcement that it drew national attention as a symbol of police militarization and the vagaries of laws pertaining to drug “analogues.” Analogues are chemicals that are not prohibited but are similar enough to controlled substances that they become illegal depending on who interprets the data.

Even worse, The Purple Zone and its owner may have been targeted because of the personal vendetta of a single prosecutor.

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Where is corresponding responsibility when it is needed ?

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

As doctor’s son serves time in abortion pill case, a fight for damages gains steam

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/as-doctors-son-serves-time-in-abortion-pill-case-a-fight-for-damages-gains/2212193

The report states that pharmacist Ingrid Bendeck ultimately dispensed the Cytotec to Welden. She thought it was a strange request, the report states, “but she did not question it because he had a prescription.”

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Just one of the 200,000+ that die in hospitals from errors ?

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

LEX18.com | Continuous News and StormTracker Weather

Parents: Young Son Died In Father’s Arms While Waiting To Be Seen At Hospital

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How they “control” .. “we the people”

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Pharmaciststeve

Why are patients shut out of the debate over prescription pain medicine?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-watch/wp/2014/03/06/why-are-patients-shut-out-of-the-debate-over-prescription-pain-medicine/

I reread this article along with a few other things that have been posted around the web the last couple of days and the word “fear” comes up all too often.

“we the people” have to deal with as many as four levels of bureaucracies – Federal – State – County -City There seems to be some level of “good ole boys clubs” at every level.

Just think of the Federal tentacles every business can be licensed by or overseen by DOJ, FCC, FTC, DEA, FDA, EPA and of course the infamous IRS.. just for starters. Just look at IRS’ Lois Lerner, lost emails…well maybe lost..maybe not.. Our own AG Holder is in contempt of Congress – but is he going to prosecute himself ? Likewise, the DOJ seems to have very myopic view of what constitutes discrimination and worth their effort to pursue.

At the state level, a legal business can’t operate without some state licenses… the same with a lot of professional business people.. Dr. Isben is a text book example of how state level bureaucrats can get on a crusade about some hair up their ass.

At the county/city level… there can be more licenses and/or rules for businesses to deal with.. It has not unheard of … you piss off a local bureaucrat and you never know what kind of hell your life can be dropped into. They may find local ordinances that haven’t been enforced for 100 yrs to get your attention.

Here is a satire on what politicians don’t want you to really know about “we the people”

http://youtu.be/wz_V4lRdtjo

As long as “we the people” let the bureaucrats keep pulling “our strings”… nothing is going to change. If you have time to post on Face Book or other internet forums.. you have time to send a email to your Fed Senators and Rep. REAL OFTEN !

Bureaucrats believe that millions/billions spend on a campaign will get them elected.. dollars don’t vote… people vote…

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Looking for more “deep pockets” ?

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Master_Settlement_Agreement

AG-elect Healey weighs targeting drug companies

http://wwlp.com/2014/12/30/ag-elect-healey-weighs-targeting-drug-companies/

BOSTON (AP) — Attorney General-elect Maura Healey says she would consider taking legal action against pharmaceutical companies to help rein in prescription drug abuse that can lead to heroin addiction.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Healey pointed to a lawsuit brought by Kentucky against Purdue Pharma alleging the company misled health care providers, consumers and government officials regarding the risk of addiction associated with the drug OxyContin.

“It’s something I want to look at,” Healey told the AP. “I certainly won’t hesitate to take action against pharmaceutical companies that are engaged in unfair or deceptive marketing practices and aren’t being straight with the public.”

That Tobacco settlement was the states were to share a minimum of 206 billion dollars paid out over 25 yrs, starting in 1998… that means that ..that annuity is going to close out in another 7-8 yrs.. and as slow as things moves thru our court system.. it may take that long for this current legal action to come to a conclusion.

Apparently they are on the prowl to find a new industry with “deep pockets” so that when that tobacco money dries up… they won’t have to deal with a big hole in their state’s budget.

Filed under: General Problems | 2 Comments »

Off to a shaky start ?

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Pharmaciststeve

Walgreens cuts ties with two ACOs

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/walgreens-dumps-two-acos-over-costs-poor-benchmarks

Just two years after Walgreens launched three partnerships as part of the Medicare Shared Savings Program — offering providers medication management, data and a retail experience for their patients — the chain is ending its partnership with two of them: The Advocare Well Network and the Scott & White Walgreens Well Network.

ACO’s is suppose to be the foundation on which Obamacare was to be built on..