Physician, Pharmacist or Grocery Store at fault?

[RockClimberMed]

Kentucky AG: Kroger 'allowed the fire of addiction to spread,' announces $110M settlement

I find it hard to believe the grocery store was found liable and not the prescribing physicians, NPs, or Pharmacists. Thoughts?

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[steveysmith54]

Shows how weak pharmacists are. 110 Million is a lot of money for pharmacy business that makes very little profit, luckily their parent company, Krogers, is a market leader.

 

[lord999]

It's not that they are not liable, it's just not worth pursuing. Yep, you need to understand how pharmacy works. There's rules in the CSA 1970 that have additional liability for distribution, which this is what the pharmacy's are being accused of. The problem is, Walgreens, CVS, and others suppressed reports. I know specifically in Walgreens case as I was disciplined for such reports in my early career (and now have a high six digit as lawsuit avoidance compensation and my old RxS doesn't have a license anymore).

Do the right thing when it comes to these matters. It pays off in the end. This very board got me quite a bit of money with some student bragging about what amounted to Medicare fraud with educational funds here. Tipped off the CMS, got my 25% bounty (which honestly is more than the Civil Service would pay me over a career), and that school had to pay an extreme settlement.

 

[BenJammin]

There needs to be something done about punishment disparity. It's not fair to health care workers that a pill mill pharmacy can lose its license along with the PIC but the prescribers get mandatory 5 hour CEs yet get to keep practicing. It would take nerves of steel but I think chains and independents should stop dispensing controlled pain medications. There's already a few pharmacies here in my area that don't do it. Pain problem? Ibuprofen and tylenol are OTC. Someone needs to shock the system so something can be done.

 

[steveysmith54]

There needs to be something done about punishment disparity. It's not fair to health care workers that a pill mill pharmacy can lose its license along with the PIC but the prescribers get mandatory 5 hour CEs yet get to keep practicing. It would take nerves of steel but I think chains and independents should stop dispensing controlled pain medications. There's already a few pharmacies here in my area that don't do it. Pain problem? Ibuprofen and tylenol are OTC. Someone needs to shock the system so something can be done.

I agree. A lot of people don't know that Physicians can order pain meds to stock in the office and dispense to their patients. Let physicians dispense the pain meds to the patients since they have all the medical records, labs, images, etc.

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

Tipped off the CMS, got my 25% bounty (which honestly is more than the Civil Service would pay me over a career)

My early retirement goal used to be filing a solid Qui Tam. I'm always shocked my the number of healthcare professionals who don't know about them.

 

[Pronounce Doxazosin]

Funny you made this thread, as DOJ is coming after Walgreens again for opioid Rxs

US accuses Walgreens of filling unlawful opioid prescriptions | CNN Business

The U.S. Justice Department on Friday accused pharmacy chain operator Walgreens Boots Alliance of contributing to the U.S. opioid epidemic by filling millions of unlawful prescriptions for addictive painkillers and other drugs.

amp.cnn.com