Walgreen Agrees to Pay $42 Million for Drug Switching

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Walgreen Agrees to Pay $42 Million for Drug Switching

June 18, 2008
Just this morning I walked past a Walgreens delivery truck that proudly displayed this slogan "Walgreens The Pharmacy America Trusts" Which immediately brings to mind the fact that your friendly local pharmacy, Walgreens, has recently had its cover blown.

In a whistleblower filed Walgreens pharmacist, Bernard Lisitz, it was disclosed that Walgreens illegally switched tablet and capsules of generic Zantac and generic Prozac, which would make it possible for them to overcharge 400 percent more to Medicaid. Imagine, the "Pharmacy America Trusts" stealing millions upon millions from hardworking American tax payers.

Attorney for the whistleblower, pharmacist, Bernard Lisitz, said "Bernie wanted the government to know that the drug switching programs he observed were schemes to increase pharmacy profits at taxpayers’ expense."

http://tinyurl.com/5sboqu

[LouiseVargas]

It is outrageous what the drug companies charge. They sell to pharmacies who charge us more in order to make a profit. And now Walgreens admits to switching generics for brand names and charging the brand name prices? Corruption abounds.
 
I live in a small town (Hollywood) where almost every independent pharmacy/drug store has sold out to CVS or Rite Aid. I've been with my independent pharmacy for 34 years since my daughter was eight. It's located on the corner of Hollywood Blvd. and another street. He keeps careful records. Due to our long relationship, he will advance me two days worth of meds if the shipment is late in arrival. Often the pharmaceutical corporations will tell him a med is back ordered. Last month I could only get 30 pills of a 90 pill prescription. I pay him upfront for the 90 pills and he calls me when the rest arrives.

Nothing like a small town independent pharmacist.

[LouiseVargas]

I forgot to mention ....

On Friday I was speaking with a new member of AA who is HIV positive. He was prescribed a med to take every day that cost $640 per pill. He cannot pay that. The county won't pay for it. The drug companies seem to prey on those of us who need meds the most and cannot pay for them.

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I agree Louise, that is truly a crime. For that person to know that a certain drug is prescribed, available, and simply to expensive to afford is unconscionable. What in this world can make one pill prescribed on a daily basis for a disease worth/cost $640. per pill? IMO if available the drug company should supply that patient with the medicine on an ability to pay plan. (I can understand with difficulty- some chemotherapy meds might cost exorbitant amounts but they would not be required for the life, and even this is hard to justify).