Filled an Rx for Phendimetrazine (C3) with invalid date and concerned...

[DoctorRx1986]

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Hello, SDNers. I’ve been a pharmacist for five years and have luckily made very few errors, especially those of a serious nature. Unfortunately, today I made a mistake and only realized after dispensing and selling the prescription for a C3, phendimetrazine, that the rx was dated 01/24/2017, making it invalid according to the CSA. It was already closing time after a 10 hour shift and I looked at the patient’s record and noticed the same doctor had prescribed the medication in October 2017 for the first time as well as in November 2017. I have deduced that chances are the physician meant 01/24/2018 instead of 2017 and so I printed an image of the script and attached it to the hard copy with a simple annotation “Called MD to verify date and meant 01/24/18”. Of course I did this to cover myself but the thing is I haven’t actually called because it was 6 pm and I didn’t know what else to do . Today was also my last day working and I’m going to Europe on vacation for 2 weeks and I’m not feeling too great as I feel I have screwed big time. I’m pretty sure the MD screwed up the year on the prescription but I can’t believe I didn’t catch the 2017 and filled it/dispensed . Everything else was correct- right patient, right drug, strength, etc. Am I in for a major problem? I even attached a PDMP report to further cover myself . Since I did not actually call the MD to verify that he just screwed up the year, I will try calling tomorrow and I’m hoping I’m right and that the office just tells me he meant 01/2018. Any old timers or those with more experience can tell me about possible repercussions due to this mistake? Will this result in an Walgreens audit ? The DM hearing about this? Will I get a “stars” report even though I think I documented enough ? What can happen? I’m only concerned because it’s a controlled substance and even though it may be a 2018 prescription, it’ll show up as being from January 2017. I hope I have some peace of mind and can hop across the pond tomorrow night in ease . . Thanks .

 

[Ra1nMak3r]

Most likely it's a typo by the MD.

 

[wucool33]

I wouldn’t be worried. Just leave a note for the day time people to call and enjoy your vacation

 

[PharmacistFl12]

All you had to do was call the patient and ask you need additional verification before dispensing and ask what date or approximately when did he/she see the doctor. That will give a pretty good hint at the actual date. Screwing up the date of prescription even for controls that's non-C2 is as minor of a mistake as it gets. The board of pharmacy and DEA and WAGS will not even consider wasting their time on your issue so don't worry about it.

 

[a student]

Recently we’ve been getting a lot of fake phendimetrazine prescriptions faxed in.

 

[txpharmguy]

I have traced your IP address and have notified the FBP and DEA. They'll be in contact with you

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

I have traced your IP address and have notified the FBP and DEA. They'll be in contact with you

Consequences will never be the same

 

[a student]

I have traced your IP address and have notified the FBP and DEA. They'll be in contact with you

And since OP will be out of the country, will he be considered a fugitive?

 

[FinallyOnTrack]

And since OP will be out of the country, will he be considered a fugitive?

A Fugitive running from the law at that!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[meister]

Your biggest mistake wasn’t the error, but the cover up of saying you called the MD when you didn’t. Doubt it’s a problem anyway.

 

[imcallingcorp]

I would have just made believe that I never even noticed. 99% chance it would never come up and if it would oopse accidents happen who cares. the best thing a retail chain pharmacist can do is accept the fact that pharmacy is super over regulated and with that being said stop thinking that everyone from the DEA to the board is just looking for the next pharmacist to punish. The “coverup” was worse than the mistake and even so not a big deal. Go on with life and stop worrying!

 

[BidingMyTime]

Accidents happen...LYING after the fact is a bad, bad idea. Because then people might start speculating that you were in on it, maybe you willfully dispensed it illegally to the patient, knowing the patient would sell it and share the profits for you. Since you have a written record of LYING, who is going to believe you if you say that isn't how it happened?

Bottom line....don't lie, especially about something that could easily be proven to be a lie, like if it turns out the doctor had discharged the patient from practice in 12/2017 or something. How you should have handled it, documenting nothing until you were able to actually call the office. If it turns out the prescription was expired, then just handle it as you would any other error, filling an expired prescription is not that big of deal in the grand scheme of things, there are far more serious errors to worry about. Of course, you should be vigilant in checking the original date in the future.

 

[panicatthepharmacy]

Consequences will never be the same

Because I backtraced it!