Duane Reade Prescription Errors

I dropped prescription off Friday morning, September 16, between 10am - noon. I went back around 6pm the same day to find they lost my prescription. I spent nearly 2 hours(?) waiting for the manager, pharmacist, and student to search for it. About a dozen other people had very similar issues while I was there. And my doctor does not answer pages over the weekend. So I am now in pain struggling to sleep, because of the incompetence of this horrible place of business.

The manager said she was going to review the video tapes from that morning to see who it was that I gave my prescription to. I plan to go back tomorrow to see if in fact any progress was made. To top it off, I (as well as the student working and other customers) got to see cockroaches crawling around the register while I waited.

well after reading and reviewing the complains ablut duane read i think is very common for the pharmacy's to give the wrong dolcesage of medication i was suppose to receive 35mg of actonel and i receive 150mg insted thanks to god that i check the box before taking the pill and that this medication is not a instant killing pill.this happen at 617 west 181 st..washigton heights

On Friday 9/5/08 My husband and I entered the Duane Reade at 609 Columbus Ave in an attempt to collect a prescription that I had been trying to get filled for three days. After having my Doctor call to make sure all was correct with the new prescription, for there had been a problem with the old one, pharmacist Nan Zhao told me all was well, the problem had been solved but, I must return in 2 hours. After going to another appointment and returning 3 hours later, alone, I again tried to collect the medicine.

Mr. Zhao told me it was not ready I would have to wait. Trying to be patient, I waited, walked around the store and sat to wait some more. I asked again when would it be ready. He told me in a very nasty way that he did not know. I explained to him again that I need the medicine and reminded him it has already been three days. He told me he knew I needed it and that I should come back tonight or tomorrow or whenever. I then said I've been here waiting for over 30 minutes already just trying to find out the status of my meds. He ignored me and instead of filling the prescription he threw it aside dismissing me by saying you just have to wait, better yet you can take it somewhere else. I said this sort of thing happens all the time so, No! you fill it and then maybe I will go somewhere else, from now on. Then Nan Zhao said, very sarcastically, with venom in his voice: Good I hope you mean it!! I Hope you don't come back here. Don't come back here ever.

Another customer then spoke up saying: yeah it does happen all the time here... and he is an a--hole. And some other customer agreed and expressed the same opinion. While yet another customer earlier had complained about her prescription not being ready and hers was done through the call in service. She said this happens to her all the time,also. I said see other people agree and think you're an a--hole too. Then he disappeared. I tried to speak to the other pharmacist and was yet again treated rudely. He made me spell my name while pretending to look for the prescription which he subsequently tells me is lost and that I must return later.

I returned to my home and explained the situation to my husband. We returned to the store and my husband approached Mr. Zhao and introduced himself and asked if Mr. Zhao was one of the persons to whom had spoken to his wife earlier. At first Mr. Zhao did not answer, trying to ignore my husband. My husband was upset at this rudeness and the fact of how I had been treated earlier. He then inquired about Zhao's treatment of me. To which Zhao said he did not like to be pushed and the medicine was not ready. When my husband explained to him that he was there the first time and had heard the promise of having the medicine ready in two hours, Zhao said there was a problem with the prescription. When my husband then again informed Zhao that he had also heard him say the the problem had been cleared up, and all was fine. All Zhao could do was hold his head down and say he had been helping me... I interjected and asked him, help me? How? My doctor called here and got this all correct. We live up six flights of stairs and we are sick people. We do not need to run back and forth while you hold us hostage for medications we need to have desperately.

Then the other pharmacist said well there was a problem with the prescription, My husband told him no there was not because Zhao had told him the problem was cleared up. The pharmacist then said well anyway we tell everybody to come back in two hours. We were even more appalled at this information and my husband said well that is very unprofessional and this is why you have lines going all the way to the front of the store. You have sick people who need there medications standing in a cold, air conditioned, store for nothing while you lie and tell them to keep coming back when you know the prescriptions will not be filled. Furthermore, you stand here and lie to me and say the prescription was lost. This is why people get so upset and have to take back their prescription and go to other pharmacies.

I find it hard to believe that in my neighborhood there is a Duane Reade every three blocks that has taken over other stores that have served us better. Maybe they should stop opening so many new stores and just start putting more help and better service in the existing store. Most people come to this store because it is a pharmacy not just a store where they go for food. We're not grocery shopping

we go there to buy medicine. Everybody in that store was shocked to hear I had a problem and was not coming back there anymore, because I always got along exceptionally well with the clerks and people that work there. And could not believe the indifference of the pharmacist and their attitudes.

Time and money spent to keep going back to Duane Reades. The damage of not having my medication for four days. The fact that I had to take the prescription to another store. My husband has arthritis and 3 hip replacements and I have arthritis and many issue that are exacerbated with stress. We were both affected by this situation and feel that

When I told Duane Reade this on the phone, they told me it was my responsibility to count the pills. I thought this was their responsibility. My doctor told me for the first 2 weeks to take one a day and I did. After two weeks I started taking twice a day (this is what the prescription called for.) When I calculate the days I've been taking and what I have left - they filled my prescription bottle with 36 pills when it should have been 60.

The bottle clearly states that I have to take every day that I was not to skip any doses. When I looked up this medication on the website. It said that stopping or skipping doses could cause seisures. This medication is given to MS patients or patients with neurological disorders. Now I have to fill it tomorrow (they told me that as of tomorrow the insurance will pay for it). I have to take one pill instead of 2 until tomorrow when it's filled again. I want someone at Duane Read-high up to take responsibility for the incompetence at Duane Reade at 987 Eighth Avenue.

A script was filled for my aunt. It was for 25 mg of Zoloft (generic). Although the Duane Reade label states 25 mg., the bottle the pills were in ( the original manufacturers bottle) states 50 mg!!!! And thats what she got - 50 mg instead of 25 mg. Luckily she only took a 2 day supply before I noticed the error. The pharmacy apologized, although I have yet to speak with Larissa.

My aunt who is 93 appeared a bit more off balance, drowsy, nauseous, had more tremors, and confused. Her physician was reluctant in prescribing it, but thought it would be ok for her to start off very slowly, on 25mg.

Called in to get a refill for my prescription (levothyroxin), spoke to Naji, she confirmed that my prescription would be ready for pick up that day. Went to pick it up, was told by Simon that it is too early to get a refill since my prescription was changed to 2 pills/day instead of 1,they confirmed that theyd call the doctor the next morning and resolve everything and that I had to go back to get my refill.

The next day called in and got confirmation that my doctor had renewed the prescription and that all was set for me to go in and pick up the drug. When going there noticed that the price had changed from what I usually paid (trippled), was advised by the cashier that was because instead of 2 25ml pills now Id get 1 50ml. pillthat didnt make much sense ,but I had to pay the money and escape the madness as it had been 3 days in a row that I had to take time off work to deal with Duane Reade on the phone.. When going home noticed that the pills had a different name, it was not the generic kind but a brand name which I didnt want.

Called the store immediately, spoke to Simon and was advised that nothing could be done at that time since they dont accept returns, was advised to call the next day and speak to ShelbyDid so the next day since with the new brand I was having kind of an allergic reaction. Spoke to Shelby he said thats what the doctor called and that I could go pick up the generic brand , but I had to pay full price since the insurance wouldnt cover two prescriptions of the same kind in such short amount of time Was transferred to the store manager Russell , who kept claiming that he had no idea and that I had to speak to Shelby, this kept going back and forth for about 2 hours ..at the end Russell said to go to the store bring the receipt back and get my money back

Did so, when going there and meeting with Russell he acted like he had no idea who I was or what I was doing there, then when remindedhe said where are the drugs .while I was told multiple times by all the person contacted that its illegal to take the drugs back, and was never asked for the drugs to be brought in over the phone anyway. Then, he claimed that no credit could be issued at that time and that I had to bring in my drugs, and be left without medication since the other drugs would not be covered by the insurance. He started acting all confused and was completely out of synch to what the pharmacist was saying, they kept contradicting each other to whether or not I should bring my meds back, so I left the store frustrated and am left with the brand I am allergic to

All this frustration and waste of time only because Duane Reade lacks proper training and hires morons that have no idea what their purpose in that store is..

Frustration, lack of sleep for 5 days, lack of proper medication, risking to get fired from my job since I was on the phone with them forever for 4 days back to back. Assault to my consumer right while I was treated like garbage in the middle of the pharmacy surrounded by customers and unexplainable embarrassment when all I did was follow their instructions. And was charged triple the price same was applied to my insurance company

On Wednesday, June 27, 2007 my mom called for her refill. She was hospitalized on Friday June 29, 2007.

I called your store on 749 Broadway, Brooklyn, NY 11206 on Sunday July 1, 2007 and ask if the order was filled and ready for pick up. I was told that drug didnt come in from Manhattan and that it would be there Monday. I called Monday morning and was told the order would be in after 1 PM. I called after 2 PM and was told that it wasnt in and that it would be in tomorrow after 1 PM, which set me off since I told the person on Sunday, June 30, 2007 that my mother was down to her last bottle and I can not play games of calling all the time; the person on Sunday ensured me that the meds was to be in the store Monday.

Then when I told the person on the phone that this was unacceptable I was told that she couldnt help me if I continue talking, I told her then I need to speak to someone else, and she transfer me the person I spoke to this morning. Who told me that my mother called for the refill on Friday, June 29, 2007 and that they dont bring in the store on Friday so unless she was on the phone when 911 was called at 9:30 am, my mother didnt talk to her on the phone. As I try to voice my complaint with the service they continue to cut me off which upset me more and more.

A week has nearly gone by and my mother doesnt have her meds, she comes home from the hospital July 3, 2007. And this isnt the first time this has happen, when this store open we never experience this problem, but lately this is happening more and more. It shouldnt take a week to get your meds fill and if it is going to take a week then your store should have the called my mother and left a message that it would be a week. My mother is 71 years old and cant go without her meds and she doesnt have the strength to run up and down to store.

this small problem could have turned out to be a much bigger situation had my wife not realized, before she gave it to our 4 year old son.

On July 11th 2006 I went to the Duane Reade pharmacy located at 224 west 57th street. I had just gone to the doctor and was perscribed an ant-depressant and a sleep medication (Celexa, and Desyrl). It was around 3:30 when I dropped them off, and came to pick them up at around 9:30 that evening. Nothing out of the ordinary, I didn't realize until July 20th at around 1am that I had the wrong medication.

I was indicated by the doctor to start taking the anti- depressant in stages, The first ten days I was only to take 1 tablet at bedtime and after that 2 tablets at bedtime, and only 1/2 a tablet of the sleep medication. I noticed that there weren't 51 tablets of the anti- depressant left and so I began to worry, and noticed that there was alot of the sleep medication. After counting and doing an online search by the codes imprinted on the tablets themselves did I realize that the bottles were mislabeled and that I was not taking the anti-depressant, I was just taking the sleep medication at a higher dosage than necessary, and not taking as much of the anti- depressant.

Needless to say that at this point I was completely angry, nervous and scared because I had been taking the wrong medicine. I began to panic since I do take other medication that I have filled at this pharmacy regularly, and they control my asthma. I went to the pharmacy that evening at 11:30pm with my boyfriend. I was really scared nervous since I didn't know what to do. I went to that pharmacy and asked to speak to the pharmacist I waited for awhile, then asked to speak to the manager. When my boyfriend mentioned that we were filing an official complaint then we got service.

I explained to the pharmacist what was going on and he said he represented the company and that on there behalf all they could do was to make sure that the medication was in deed mislabled. At this point the store manager came out to speak to us and suggested that by taking the wrong medication it had placebo effect on me. When in fact I was feeling more tired than usual and having trouble waking up and feeling light headed in the mornings. That isn't really a placebo effect if you ask me. Then the pharmacist came out and wanted to take the medication and relabel them and contact my doctor which of course I had already done. Then the store manager offered to give me back the money I paid as co- payment which at the time I thought was 12 dollars each and then realized that it was only 2 dollars.

I don't think that two dollars is really any compensation for the discomfort I feel right know. I feel betrayed by them, I blindly put my life in there hands, this time it was and anti- depressant and a sleep aid, next time it can be my asthma medication and then i will really be in big trouble. This isn't the first time I have had problems at this pharmacy while picking up my birth control patch two months ago the pharmacist asked me in an accusatory manner what I had done with the patches since there records show that I had gone to pick up the medication 3 days prior to that. I told them that I didn't have anymore and that I hadn't been ther in a month then he checked and realized that they had entered incorrectly to my insurance and gave me my script. I don't know what to really do other than to file a complaint, they gave me the wrong medicine, and now I don't know where to get it filled, its just that it is something so crucial for me, if I take the wrong medicine I could die, because some pharmacist wasn't paying attention.

No physical damage just extremem paranoia, and nervousness, now I really can't sleep considering I am already having problems sleeping, and eating this just made it alot worse.

I have a number of grave illnesses requiring medications.

Duane Reade at 14th Street and 7th Avenue in Manhattan has in the last 6 months or so has lost two of my prescriptions. I had to call my doctor to have her mail me a second prescription. Fortunately, I had some remaining to hold me over until the replacement was obtained. Without those, I would have been in serious trouble. I registered a complaint with a person, a woman, but not Chin (see later), and she apologized for the lost prescription.

To add to my difficulties with Duane Reade, I had a friend pick up two prescriptions for blood clots on August 17, 2005, a potentially life threatening condition. One was for oral Coumadin while the second was for injectable Lovenox. I take one tablet of Coumadin nightly and inject myself twice daily with the Lovenox.

When my friend arrived home, he only had the Coumadin. As it was already late and being fearful that I would not have the Lovenox for that evening I made the trip to Duane Reade myself. As I am homebound due to extreme exhaustion, this was a difficult thing for me to do. Arriving after 9 pm I found the pharmacy area of Duane Reade closed. If it had not been for the quick action of the manager, who unlocked the gate of the pharmacy and gave me the Lovenox, which was right there, I would have been in a potentially life threatening situation.

I have receipts to document the hours of pick-up of the two drugs showing that the Lovenox was picked up at 9:29 pm, after the pharmacy was closed, while the Coumadin shows a pick-up before the close of the pharmacy. The manager acknowledged that he did not have the authority to dispense prescriptions but recognizing the seriousness of the situation, he unlocked the gate to the pharmacy area and gave me my prescription. No actions should be taken against the manager as he did what was necessary! He demonstrated leadership and compassion.

I just called Duane Reade, and spoke with Chin, to enquire about my prescriptions and I was given erroneous information as to what was prescribed for me. I complained and told her about her information and told her about the lost prescriptions. She said, We did not loose any of your prescriptions. When confronted with a denial of what had transpired communication broke down.

I then spoke with Tim, an assistant manager, and he very graciously took the information and with concern told me that he was e-mailing the complaint on to persons higher in Duane Reade. He apologized. There was no need for him to apologize as he had not made any mistakes but to the contrary had been very compassionate and helpful. I have only good things to say about the management personnel of the store.

This sort of abuse of pharmacy procedures by Duane Reade is not acceptable and must be addressed. Acknowledgement of responsibility when prescriptions are lost or misplaced is essential. Only then can corrective action be taken by the responsible party, in this case the pharmacy at Duane Reade.

A person could die because of actions like loosing prescriptions and like not dispensing prescriptions in a timely manner.

I have become quite emotionally distraught on several occasions with this pharmacy. To add distress to my physical ailments will very likely diminish my ability to remain functional.

So far, I have spent over 5 hours trying to complete my prescription. I work 10 hours a day and really do not have 5 hours to waste waiting for a prescription that never comes. I have dogs to walk, dinner to cook, an apartment to clean and laundry to do. At this stage I am physically and mentally exhausted. In addition, my pills never look the same twice, and I am beginning to wonder if they are evening giving me the right medicine.

On Saturday June 11 2005 about noon I had prescription RX ZOLOFT 25mg filled, thought nothing of it and hopped along home. Monday morning as always I decided to start on my new prescription refill only to realize that although the label said 25mg the contents were 100mg. Thank God that I know the difference.

What would have happened to someone who was not familiar with the medication and was taking on a daily basis four times the prescribed dose. I strongly suggest that you investigate Duane Reade and the pharmacist that they hire.

There were no real consequences this time but I think Duane Reade's admistration should be contacted or it coul get ugly. I have heard complains about the pharmacy many times.

I asked my Mother to go to Duane Reade to fill my six-year-old Daughter's prescription for antibiotics on the morning of Oct. 19, 2004. I needed to stay home to look after my daughter.

When my mother brought the bottle of cefaclor home, I noticed that -as usual- the lot number and expiry date had been covered over by the label that is added on to the bottle at the pharmacy.

When I peeled back the label , I was astounded to find that the expiry date was 11/04. This meant the entire bottle of medication would be losing its potency and become officially unusable 2 days after my daughter finished her course of medication.

There would be no room for error or making up a skipped dose, which often happens with children.

This, to me, was too close for comfort and unacceptable.

When I phoned the pharmacy to explain that I wanted fresh stock, the first person I spoke to initially agreed my situation was unacceptable and said something would be done about it,and transferred me to the pharmacist.

The pharmacist apologised and explained this happened because the medication was not commonly used anymore, and anyhow, the medication would be OK until the end of November. She seemed to be intimating I should administer the medication anyway, even though I didn't feel comfortable about it.

I truly can't accept any of that, especially the bit about the expiry date, since one would commonly take an expiry date to mean that the product is not viable when the point in time described on the label has been reached.

As I began to pursue the matter, making phonecalls to other locations to see who would have fresh stock, I encountered reactions that ranged from supportive to argumentative.

I found fresh stock in the Merrick Duane Reade and had to ask my parents to travel there to pick up a fresh bottle of medication while I stayed home with my daughter.

When I called back to the Franklin Square location to arrange a switch, the pharmacist had grown considerably less than apologetic and called it a courtesy to allow me to obtain fresh stock, complaining that she was going to have to take a loss on a $10 dollar bottle of medication.

Luckily, no physical harm came to my daughter, but I had to involve my whole family in the search for fresh medication.

I will never take my business to another Duane Reade pharmacy ever again, and I urge anyone buying prescription medications there to check the expiry dates of the bulk medication jars before they have any prescritions filled.

On 9/04 I attempted to pick up my prescription at the Duane Reade at East 80th street and York Ave. I was denied my precription because they gave my medication to someone else. The staff accused me of lying, questioned my need for the pills and humilated me by argueing for an hour and a half. I was pleading for my pills because I had no more left.

They had a signature that did not match mine and told me I picked up the pills 9 days prior (when I did not).I showed them photo ID with a signature and told duane reade the signatures did not match.

The head pharmacist and manager of the store denied me my precription and gave me 1 pill (birth control). They told me if I want my medication I would have to pay for the full cost out of my pocket - cash or credit card. I told them no, that I pay monthly for health insurance so I won't pay for medication and I'm not paying for their mistake.

The staff at Duane Reade told me to return the next day to speak to the store manager at 1pm. I contacted my health insurance and told them my story. They told me Duane Reade made a claim on 7/31/04 and backed out on it, so there should be no problem to pickup my medication. I explained to them that the store denied me the pills because they gave my pills to someone else. They contacted the store and told me to proceed to pick up.

I return to the store at 1pm the next day to speak to the manager and get names of the persons who did not help me but accuse me of wrong doings...I was told the manager is not around and they don't know where he is...suprisingly they did not know his name...The pharmacy then gave me an open packet of pills and told me this is all they're giving me. Take it and go were her exact words.

I told them that was illegal to give open pills. I have no idea if these were tampered with...I then argued again for another hour. The store was at no help. I asked if I can transfer my refills to another store and then I was told there are no refills. They gave me a presciption with someone else's doctor's name on it with no refills. My original presciption has 10 refills for the year.

I called the Duane Reade complaint department and spoke to the store manager. He was aware of the situation and told the pharmacist to give me one pill not the whole pack. He then tried to give me gift certificates to calm me down. I told him his store humiliated me, denied me my prescription when I needed it most, and then gave my medication to someone else other than me. I told the manager to report this to the pharmacy board. He did not express that he would...

Numerous visits to renew prescriptions at this store, have been met with long lines at the checkout counter due the cashier/clerks (who are supposed to be attending customers) chatting on the phone with personal phone calls, taking their time to replenish stock in the aisles or behind the pharmaceutical counter, and uncaring about lines and customer pleas for assistance. comments. The store manager is oblivious and doesn't blink an eyelash.

This past Saturday, I went to have my Lipitor prescription refilled. For once there was no line, and I was told to come back in an hour. It was three hours later that I returned only to find that not only hadn't it been filled, but I had to wait 15 minutes before the cashier/clerk, was finished stuffing cotton into COMPLETED prescription bottles (no license, a HEALTH RISK, and evidentally with permission of the pharmacists)

Upon my asking why the refill hadn't been done, she ignored answering me, went to the pharmaceutical shelf, took a bottle, opened same, looked inside, and then brought it to the pharmacist (another No No)

I wrote a letter to Duane Reade and received an apology and lip service that they would look into my complaint.

I have been ordering my refills by phone with the automated system for four years now. I called in two orders on 6/18 and was told they would be ready by 3:00 that day. When I sent my daughter to pick them up they only gave her one. I called to find out about the other one and was told by the pharmacist that it had to be ordered and would be there Monday. I told the pharmacist that I could not wait until Monday this was Saturday and that as he could tell from the medication it was to control my blood sugar. I am a diabetic.

I asked if he could inquire at another Duane Reade store for the medication and he responded that he was closing in 10 minutes this was an hour before the store was scheduled to close. I once again asked if he could call another store because this could possibly mean a trip to the emergency room for me. He responded that he was closing in 10 minutes and the medication would be there Monday. I never received a call to say the medication would not be available as first stated over the system even though they ask for a telephone number.

I will be transferring all my prescriptions and all my family members prescriptions and anyone that will listen! I am hoping I don't wind up in the emergency room but if I do Duane Reade will pay dearly!

I should have been charged only $10 - since I recieved 1/3 my normal Rx - if you're charging me full price tell the Doctor and give me 30.