Pharmacy Security

[Priapism]

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My girlfriend, with whom I'm now separated, called me the other day to inform me that the Walgreens pharmacy drive-thru she had visited earlier that day had given her the wrong prescription. Instead of her fathers cholesterol medication, she took receipt of #230 40mg Oxycodone pills (street value approx. $4,000) Apparently the pharmacy had called several of her relatives who shared their last name before contacting her. She denied having taken receipt of the pills and instead elected to keep them so that she could sell them and make enough money to buy a car, etc., to essentially regain all that she had lost in her life previously (including me) to...guess what...opiate addiction!

Several Questions for anyone with the knowledge :

1. Can she get away with this? I want to know if CCTV and other security measures that are in place in a Walgreens pharmacy can catch this mistaken transaction. For such a large quantity of narcotics, wouldn't an investigation ensue?

2. What would happen to her and her family (all of whom are aware of the current situation, and have agreed to assist in the illegal resale of said medication due to financial woes) if they are discovered?

3. I can't find logic in allowing what destroyed her life, to suddenly become her saving-grace. I feel she should have to work for what she seeks. Should I turn them all in?

Any insight into this would be so much appreciated. Any questions you feel I should be asking please feel free to answer those as well. Quite honestly I want them all to learn a lesson from this, especially her.

Thanks for reading my post! I hope to hear from you all soon and I appreciate the help!

 

[sublime86]

Are you currently enrolled in a pharmacy school? If so, you are well on your way to being a licensed practicing pharmacist. What would a licensed pharmacist do? This is a question of integrity on your part as a professional. I haven't taken any pharmacy law classes yet, so perhaps someone else can shed light on the laws and regulations that govern such a situation.

 

[Gearhead-Rx]

integrity

period

 

[sdn1977]

My girlfriend, with whom I'm now separated, called me the other day to inform me that the Walgreens pharmacy drive-thru she had visited earlier that day had given her the wrong prescription. Instead of her fathers cholesterol medication, she took receipt of #230 40mg Oxycodone pills (street value approx. $4,000) Apparently the pharmacy had called several of her relatives who shared their last name before contacting her. She denied having taken receipt of the pills and instead elected to keep them so that she could sell them and make enough money to buy a car, etc., to essentially regain all that she had lost in her life previously (including me) to...guess what...opiate addiction!

Several Questions for anyone with the knowledge :

1. Can she get away with this? I want to know if CCTV and other security measures that are in place in a Walgreens pharmacy can catch this mistaken transaction. For such a large quantity of narcotics, wouldn't an investigation ensue?

2. What would happen to her and her family (all of whom are aware of the current situation, and have agreed to assist in the illegal resale of said medication due to financial woes) if they are discovered?

3. I can't find logic in allowing what destroyed her life, to suddenly become her saving-grace. I feel she should have to work for what she seeks. Should I turn them all in?

Any insight into this would be so much appreciated. Any questions you feel I should be asking please feel free to answer those as well. Quite honestly I want them all to learn a lesson from this, especially her.

Thanks for reading my post! I hope to hear from you all soon and I appreciate the help!

1. Can she get away with it? Yes, possibly. I can't speak for Walgreens since I don't work there. There are a variety of security measures depending on the store, the state & the type of drug. Would the store investigate - yes, the mixup of the oxycodone is considered as serious as if she were given the same amount of warfarin. Its a drug error & we treat it seriously.

2. The legal system would get involved if she attempted sale of narcotics. That is a federal offense. If she or her family tried to sell them...they would be committing a crime.

3. You don't need to turn them in. Walgreens knows who the mistake happened with.

You've done the only thing you can do - you have separated yourself from someone who can be tempted to commit a crime when given the opportunity. Try to let the rest of it go - the desire for retribution. That is your own anger coming out. Realize that this gave you an insight into a person's character you don't hold in very high regard and move on.

 

[alwaystired]

1. Can she get away with it? Yes, possibly. I can't speak for Walgreens since I don't work there. There are a variety of security measures depending on the store, the state & the type of drug. Would the store investigate - yes, the mixup of the oxycodone is considered as serious as if she were given the same amount of warfarin. Its a drug error & we treat it seriously.

2. The legal system would get involved if she attempted sale of narcotics. That is a federal offense. If she or her family tried to sell them...they would be committing a crime.

3. You don't need to turn them in. Walgreens knows who the mistake happened with.

You've done the only thing you can do - you have separated yourself from someone who can be tempted to commit a crime when given the opportunity. Try to let the rest of it go - the desire for retribution. That is your own anger coming out. Realize that this gave you an insight into a person's character you don't hold in very high regard and move on.

I agree with SDN. Also, you don't want to get yourself mixed up in this. It is so easy to throw accusations. She could easily incorporate you into the mix....even though you are trying to do the right thing. Just stay away from the situation.

 

[Priapism]

3. You don't need to turn them in. Walgreens knows who the mistake happened with.

So, WHEN Walgreens discovers who the medication was given to, what do you suppose would be their next step?

Would the store investigate - yes, the mixup of the oxycodone is considered as serious as if she were given the same amount of warfarin. Its a drug error & we treat it seriously.

So, the fact that the mistake is in relation to a Narcotic, as opposed to an Anticoag, makes no difference? I realize that all prescription drugs are controlled substances in that they are prescribed as opposed to freely available, but in this instance, when we are dealing with a substantial quantity of class B narcotics, that would carry no more or less weight, legally?

You've done the only thing you can do - you have separated yourself from someone who can be tempted to commit a crime when given the opportunity. Try to let the rest of it go - the desire for retribution. That is your own anger coming out. Realize that this gave you an insight into a person's character you don't hold in very high regard and move on.

Excellent point and great advice, but as I'm sure you can imagine, easier said than done. I still care for her and feel like I want to stop it from happening - That is, the fact that she once again has access to the pills. The thing that bothers me though, is that her parents even allowed this to happen. With all the negativity that's gone on in our lives, but more specifically in the life of their daughter because of opiate addiction - for them to even allow it back into their home is just so...what's the word I'm looking for? Either way I feel like I need to take action in some way considering the fact that I'm apparently the only one in her life with any common sense or decency...

 

[All4MyDaughter]

When the person who was SUPPOSED to receive the Oxycodone comes to pick it up, Walgreens will probably start investigating it. We had a similar situation (someone picked up a narcotics prescription that wasn't theirs) and we opened an internal investigation and the Metro Narcotics got involved...

 

[MountainPharmD]

Any time a significant amount of a C-II medication is missing the local police, company security and the DEA will be involved. If Walgreens acts quickly something can be set up to catch her in the act of selling the medication.

 

[psychoandy]

Um...I've seen scripts for #360 percocets, but 7 oxycontin a day? Assuming this is a legit script, and the patient who presumably has stage 4 cancer tries to pick it up, they'll figure it out.

I don't think it's a drug error so much as it is a "oh crap we screwed up we need to call the DEA and get back our oxycontin" event. This makes me so glad that I check IDs and everything.

 

[sublime86]

With all that being said about the local police, DEA, and so on being involved in something like this, WHEN (not so much IF) she gets caught, she will probably be in trouble, especially if they find out she intends on selling it or already has. So you might want to take this opportunity to convince her she hasn't just won the lottery and just how much trouble she'll be in WHEN she gets caught. That's only if you have any desire to help her out. If not, then let the authorities do what they do best.

 

[T1ar1a]

Man, you're in a tight spot.

Ex-GFs are hard to let go sometimes.

I would seek counseling from a lawyer. By knowing this information, you make be charged for conspirary and participation. MAY is the key word. I don't think your ex is a person who would tell the authorities that you knew....but what if she did?

And this is a DEA matter. This is serious. No joking.

I know that if you are involved, you will lose your license.

I would protect myself first. And then try to help. She seems like she's lost already. Don't go down with her.