WAL-GREENS narced out woman with brain cancer.

[The Hunter of Jahanna]

Brain Cancer Patient Sues Over Arrest Brain Cancer Patient in Washington State Sues Over Arrest at Walgreen Drug Store The Associated Press TACOMA, Wash. Jan. 24 — A woman with a brain tumor filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, saying when she arrived to pick up her painkiller prescription one day, a pharmacist had her arrested. In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Pierce County Superior Court, Shannon O'Brien, 35, said she went to the drive-up window at a Walgreen Drug Store two blocks from her home last July 7. The pharmacist on duty thought she had faked her Percocet prescription and called police, the lawsuit stated. "I was in hysterics crying, very upset and very embarrassed," O'Brien told The Associated Press on Thursday. "They could have checked my records. I've had the same medicine every month." A woman who answered the phone at the pharmacy Thursday directed inquiries to the Walgreen's regional office in Bellevue, where a telephone message was not immediately returned. A spokeswoman based at Walgreen Co. headquarters in Deerfield, Ill., said Friday she could not comment on pending litigation. O'Brien's lawyer, Mike Withey, said he didn't know what led the pharmacist to suspect O'Brien of faking her prescription. According to the lawsuit, when the pharmacist called the University of Washington Medical Center's neurosurgery department to ask about it, he was told O'Brien's doctor, Alexander Spence, was unavailable, so the prescription couldn't be confirmed right away. That's when the pharmacist called Tacoma police, the lawsuit said. O'Brien was still sitting in her car at the drive-up window when they arrived. O'Brien, who was first diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1994, said she told the officer who handcuffed her that he could call her doctor or her nurse to verify the prescription. "I told him I had brain cancer, and I had a medical information card inside my wallet," she said. "It didn't matter to him. He didn't believe anything I was telling him." O'Brien's family posted bail that night, but she was still without her medicine. She was arraigned the next day; as a condition of her release, she was required to attend a session at a drug treatment facility. Her lawyer eventually succeeded in getting the felony prescription fraud charge dropped after her doctor provided confirming information to the Pierce County prosecutor's office. The pharmacist was not immediately reachable by telephone for comment Thursday evening.

I wonder why a pharmacist would accuse someone of fakeing a prescription if they had been picking up the same thing week after week?? It isnt like the woman had 5 prescriptions for the same medicine at 5 diffrent pharmacys.Something like this could happen to any one.

[ 01-27-2003, 10:00 AM: Message edited by: Ziroc ]

[The Hierophant]

Seems it was a case of an over-presumptuous individual pharmacist. It was their own personal mistake to make, they'll take the repercussions for it.

[Larry_OHF]

News like that worries me. What if the lady had died or gotten very sick because of the mistake of a prickless fool...waiting for this whole legal thing to go through. And what about the judge that condemned her to a drug rehab? It seems that the world was against this poor lady for a long time! Man...it worries me sometimes...

[Indemaijinj]

Even if you believe in the anti-drug cause, there is still such a thing as over-zealousness.

[Ziroc]

Originally posted by The Hunter of Jahanna: quote: Brain Cancer Patient Sues Over Arrest Brain Cancer Patient in Washington State Sues Over Arrest at Walgreen Drug Store The Associated Press TACOMA, Wash. Jan. 24 — A woman with a brain tumor filed a lawsuit against Walgreens, saying when she arrived to pick up her painkiller prescription one day, a pharmacist had her arrested. In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Pierce County Superior Court, Shannon O'Brien, 35, said she went to the drive-up window at a Walgreen Drug Store two blocks from her home last July 7. The pharmacist on duty thought she had faked her Percocet prescription and called police, the lawsuit stated. "I was in hysterics crying, very upset and very embarrassed," O'Brien told The Associated Press on Thursday. "They could have checked my records. I've had the same medicine every month." A woman who answered the phone at the pharmacy Thursday directed inquiries to the Walgreen's regional office in Bellevue, where a telephone message was not immediately returned. A spokeswoman based at Walgreen Co. headquarters in Deerfield, Ill., said Friday she could not comment on pending litigation. O'Brien's lawyer, Mike Withey, said he didn't know what led the pharmacist to suspect O'Brien of faking her prescription. According to the lawsuit, when the pharmacist called the University of Washington Medical Center's neurosurgery department to ask about it, he was told O'Brien's doctor, Alexander Spence, was unavailable, so the prescription couldn't be confirmed right away. That's when the pharmacist called Tacoma police, the lawsuit said. O'Brien was still sitting in her car at the drive-up window when they arrived. O'Brien, who was first diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1994, said she told the officer who handcuffed her that he could call her doctor or her nurse to verify the prescription. "I told him I had brain cancer, and I had a medical information card inside my wallet," she said. "It didn't matter to him. He didn't believe anything I was telling him." O'Brien's family posted bail that night, but she was still without her medicine. She was arraigned the next day; as a condition of her release, she was required to attend a session at a drug treatment facility. Her lawyer eventually succeeded in getting the felony prescription fraud charge dropped after her doctor provided confirming information to the Pierce County prosecutor's office. The pharmacist was not immediately reachable by telephone for comment Thursday evening.

I wonder why a pharmacist would accuse someone of fakeing a prescription if they had been picking up the same thing week after week?? It isnt like the woman had 5 prescriptions for the same medicine at 5 diffrent pharmacys.Something like this could happen to any one.[/QUOTE]Walgreens should be blown up. ASSHOLES! They have done this to SO many people.. I also take Meds--Narco for lower back pain, and I go to K-Mart, I've been going since 1995, and they know me well there.. but, when a NEW pharmacist is hired, they act all paranoid. Shit, go to alt.binaties.chronic-pain and read the horror stories...

A few criminals have totally RUINED it for people that NEED pain meds.

Walgreens is the #1 store NO ONE should go to for ANY pills--they are assholes. Since I personally have pain, and go to a pain managment clinic, I know all to well whe you are in pain, you feel like total crap, and DEPEND of the pills..

I remember I HATED taking pills--even for a headache, but now, if I am not on them, I am in pain in hours. sucks... sucks bigtime folks..

[RevRuby]

being someone with lots of back pain, and migraines this shocks me. no one has ever questioned my pain meds. but my mother was on a drug, which i forgetting the name and what type now, but it's one you're only supposed to be on a few months at most,a nd she was on for years, no one suspected anything.. it is definately scary

[Attalus]

Yeah, the pharmacist totally overreacted, but pharmacists do that kind of thing. When I first went into practice, they would call my office, questioning why I prescribed this or that. After a few tantrums, word got around and they quit calling about those things. But, I will have to say that doctors and pharmacists have to deal with two difficult things: the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agencey, which routinely sends agents out disguised as patients, trying to get doctors to write them pain medication for a variety oif imaginary ailments, then, bam, you lose your permit to dispense narcotics, and eventually, your liscence; and an army of druggies trying anything to get you to prescibe narcotics to them. It sucks, but it would help if the DEA were not so punitive.

[harleyquinn]

This is reminiscent (sp?) of the Starbucks in Manhatten that charged the emergency workers for water for the victims of 9-11. In that case, Starbucks tried to deny it even happened until forced to admit it by the rescue workers and finally reimburse them. In that case it was also one stupid person causing a big headache for the major corporation.
Right in line with the Darwin posts, never underestimate the stupidity of some people.

[Sir Kenyth]

DEA can really come down hard! Indiana has available for limited use, over the counter codeine cough syrup. It works great for miserably sick kids who can't sleep from coughing at night. You may sign for one bottle per week. Only one pharmacy left in town will distribute it and it's a clinic. The reason is that DEA thugs mercilessly inspect and bury any pharmacy in paperwork that dares sell it. This is of course because people looking for a buzz will buy it and chug the bottle. It's also hard to keep track of who buys it when. If you buy from a couple different pharmacies, they'd never know because the records are internal. So they shut down all except one of the sellers to keep the tracking process simple. I can't say I approve of the method.

[Aragorn The Wise]

Originally posted by harleyquinn: This is reminiscent (sp?) of the Starbucks in Manhatten that charged the emergency workers for water for the victims of 9-11. In that case, Starbucks tried to deny it even happened until forced to admit it by the rescue workers and finally reimburse them. In that case it was also one stupid person causing a big headache for the major corporation. Right in line with the Darwin posts, never underestimate the stupidity of some people.

Now that's just wrong. It's not like Starbucks can't afford to lose some water especially for a reason like that one. Greed consumes all