You cant make this stuff up. Walgreen's is being sued because there is a group that deems that they are the reason we have such a drug problem today. Wow.

I'd love to hear the reasoning.

I'd love to hear the reasoning.

 

Suit is claiming it failed to legally monitor its operations that shipped and dispensed large quantities of opioids through its locations.

Suit is claiming it failed to legally monitor its operations that shipped and dispensed large quantities of opioids through its locations.

 

I mean outside of proof that a big wig was selling pills on the black market seems like a stretch.

I mean outside of proof that a big wig was selling pills on the black market seems like a stretch.

 

I would think HIPAA laws would be pretty much against tracking like this wouldnt it?

I would think HIPAA laws would be pretty much against tracking like this wouldnt it?

 

I misread the last post. I thought they meant shipments going from warehouse to store. I would think yes tracking and profiling a customer is out of a retail stores duty.

The suit claims Walgreens filled massive opioid orders in both unusually large sizes and great frequencies. In its role as a distributor that shipped drugs, the company failed to report suspicious orders to authorities.

At the store level, Walgreens dispensed opioids at "such an alarming rate and volume that there could be no legitimate medical purpose associated to their use," according to the complaint.

I think there is a ton of blame to go around. Anyone who has their hand in the cookie jar can be blamed (doctors, big Pharma, pharmacies, etc). And of course the drug addict.

 

I’m not sure what a lawsuit will accomplish though.

The issue is more the MDs than anything else. No pharmacy can dispense without a valid prescription. That said going after a big company as opposed to filing suit against a bunch of individual practices is a lot easier.

The suit claims Walgreens filled massive opioid orders in both unusually large sizes and great frequencies. In its role as a distributor that shipped drugs, the company failed to report suspicious orders to authorities.

At the store level, Walgreens dispensed opioids at "such an alarming rate and volume that there could be no legitimate medical purpose associated to their use," according to the complaint.

 

I would have to see the actual figures behind the phrase "unusually large sizes and great frequencies". Considering what one has to go thru to purchase a box of Sudafed, a non-prescription drug, I find all of this a little hard to believe.

They are also expensive. A few years ago my health insurance provider would not OK 90-Day supplies of my maintenance drugs because of what Walgreen charged. Eventually I had to go to a mail order company which I absolutely hate dealing with.

I would have to see the actual figures behind the phrase "unusually large sizes and great frequencies". Considering what one has to go thru to purchase a box of Sudafed, a non-prescription drug, I find all of this a little hard to believe.

 

Clay County residents alone filled prescriptions for 2.2 million doses of hydrocodone & about 617,000 doses of oxycodone during a 12 month period in 2016. That's roughly 150 doses for every man, woman and child.

 

McKesson Corporation is a major part of the problem -- between January 2010 and the end of 2016, McKesson alone distributed 18.4 million doses of painkillers in Floyd County, KY -- enough for 477 pills for every adult and child in the county. Perry County, KY was even worse, with 526 doses per person.

 

The Pharmacies Thriving in Kentucky's Opioid-Stricken Towns - The Atlantic

 

477 Pain Pills Per Person: Kentucky Sues Opioid Drug Company

Clay County residents alone filled prescriptions for 2.2 million doses of hydrocodone & about 617,000 doses of oxycodone during a 12 month period in 2016. That's roughly 150 doses for every man, woman and child.

 

McKesson Corporation is a major part of the problem -- between January 2010 and the end of 2016, McKesson alone distributed 18.4 million doses of painkillers in Floyd County, KY -- enough for 477 pills for every adult and child in the county. Perry County, KY was even worse, with 526 doses per person.

 

The Pharmacies Thriving in Kentucky's Opioid-Stricken Towns - The Atlantic

 

477 Pain Pills Per Person: Kentucky Sues Opioid Drug Company

 

The only reason McKesson is supplying them in such quantities is because the pharmacies are keeping up with the script volume, this goes back to the prescribers.

Those numbers just posted above are very misleading. Look up the population of Clay county, 20,000 and change. In a year they dispensed app 2.8 million doses. If these pills were dispensed to people like me with back problems, which a lot of people have, and receive 2 doses a day (pills) like I do, it would only take roughly 3840 people (or 25% of the adult population) to have a prescription like mine per year to make that huge number. Some people get way more than that. I'm not saying there aren't companies at fault somewhere but let's be realistic with the numbers.

Those numbers just posted above are very misleading. Look up the population of Clay county, 20,000 and change. In a year they dispensed app 2.8 million doses. If these pills were dispensed to people like me with back problems, which a lot of people have, and receive 2 doses a day (pills) like I do, it would only take roughly 3840 people (or 25% of the adult population) to have a prescription like mine per year to make that huge number. Some people get way more than that. I'm not saying there aren't companies at fault somewhere but let's be realistic with the numbers.

 

People often come from neighboring counties too so the numbers can be inflated a bit due to those populations.