Dui

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mona2004

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If someone get arrested for DUI of drug like methadone or Vicodin
Is the pharmacist who filled the rx also somehow responsible or not?

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If someone get arrested for DUI of drug like methadone or Vicodin
Is the pharmacist who filled the rx also somehow responsible or not?

Why would you think that they would be responsible?
 
Believe it or not I have heard this question. But to the best of my knowledge the answer is no. Otherwise there would be a lot of pharmacists in trouble.
 
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When I was an intern, a customer came in with droopy blood shot eyes, could barely hold his head up, and a script for Xanax. The pharmacist dispensed it, and the customer took it right there at the counter and chased it down with some cheap whiskey or whatever it was in a brown paper bag. Should I be worried?
 
Yes the pharmacist may get in trouble if someone dies as a result from accident. However, as long as the pharmacist offers that patient counseling about the potential side effects of the drugs and warns them not to drive while taking these medications then it will be very difficult for the lawyer to get us in trouble.

Most pharmacy requires the patients to sign that they receive counseling before they pick up medication. That signature will help the pharmacist to get away with trouble in case like this.
 
our society has too much of a "pass the buck" attitude. I would not be surprised at all if the user tried to blame the pharmacist.

"now everybody wanna find excuses like what kind of music they were listening to or what kind of movies they were watching. who gives a f*ck what they were watching? whatever happened to CRAZY?"
-chris rock on columbine shooting-
 
The only way a pharmacist would get in trouble is if they knew the person was using it recreationally, or if they knew the prescription was forged and filled it anyway.
 
How about the doctor that wrote the script for those of you that think the pharmacist could get in trouble?
 
One time I was at CVS, this dude came in with a Morphine prescription, we filled it. He had it right there and he looked like he chewed it and then chased it with some liquor he had just brought there. Apparently he crashed into a tractor-trailer a couple of miles away after he left and died.
 
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I can see it being a valid question, as I heard a story a few months back about a bar and bartender being sued for a drunk driver's crash. If you warn them, you're probably okay though. However, can you prove what you actually said? No, but they can't prove you didn't say it either. The patient literature and stickers would also say the information too.


Another interesting question is what about a chronic pain patient who has a degree of tolerance, but does not feel "impaired." What happens if they are involved in a serious crash?
 
If someone get arrested for DUI of drug like methadone or Vicodin
Is the pharmacist who filled the rx also somehow responsible or not?

You mean legally responsible, I assume. Possibly. I remember hearing about a woman crashing her car after taking Ambien, and then sued the pharmacy saying no one warned her not to drive after taking Ambien (I don't remember hearing the outcome.) People can sue for anything, if the prescription was legitimate and there was no reason not to fill it (ie was the patient getting multiple prescriptions for similar drugs and having them all filled at the same pharmacy, and the pharmacist never questioned it?), and counseling was done (or at least a caution driving sticker on the vial).....if all of the above, than the pharmacist should be covered in the case of a lawsuit.
 
You mean legally responsible, I assume. Possibly. I remember hearing about a woman crashing her car after taking Ambien, and then sued the pharmacy saying no one warned her not to drive after taking Ambien (I don't remember hearing the outcome.) People can sue for anything, if the prescription was legitimate and there was no reason not to fill it (ie was the patient getting multiple prescriptions for similar drugs and having them all filled at the same pharmacy, and the pharmacist never questioned it?), and counseling was done (or at least a caution driving sticker on the vial).....if all of the above, than the pharmacist should be covered in the case of a lawsuit.

All of the lawsuits that I have seen have been against distributors or pharmaceutical companies.
 
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