Complain about a product or service

Wal-Mart Pharmacy

Karen of Ponchatoula, LA October 12, 2007

After seeing a major network news program talking about a certain medication newly added to Wal-Mart's 4 prescription drug list, I found it to be actually 9. This particular medication, Sprintec 28, a birth control pill, is, in fact listed on the Wal-Mart website under Women's Health medications which have recently been added to the 4 list. On that list, which at the top says, 4 prescriptions, just above several medications listed, in fine print, is a statement that these particular prescriptions sell for 9. I feel that this is extremely misleading and smacks of false advertising.

I was disappointed and frustrated to find that the advertised 4 prescription actually costs 9, more than double that.

Michelle Curien-Garcia of Sterling, VA October 12, 2007

My husband, Frank Garcia, is a patient on treatment for Hepatitis C, taking Ribovarin, Interferon and an experimental drug. He is very ill. He has ulcers in his mouth and had fallen down the stairs and was trying to get his perscriptions filled on 10/10/07 at the pharmacy. He is very sick from the chemo like treatment and in pain from the fall down the stairs.

There was something wrong with the perscription and he felt that the person waiting on him was rude. So he insisted on speaking with a manager. The pharmacy clerk refused to allow him to speak to a manager or supervisor and proceeded to argue with my husband. The customer, my husband, yelled at the pharmacy clerk. The clerk got the pharmacist and the pharmacist told my husband he could purchase the drugs or get out of the store.

My husband said he didn't want to deal with the bad attitude at Walmart and insisted that they transfer all his perscriptions to CVS. My husband sat down outside of the pharmacy inside the store waiting for them to transfer the perscriptions and three police men arrived to escort him out of the store and proceeded to harrass and humiliate him in front of the store. He is banned from Walmart forever. The pharmacist expected my husband to purchase the medicines even after calling the police.

Walmart transfered the perscription to CVS Pharmacy. CVS pharmacy was very expensive and CVS told my husband he would have to go to Walmart to have them send the perscription somewhere else.

I called the Walmart pharmacy on 10/11/07 to request that they send the perscription to another pharmacy. The clerk asked for the customer name and not mine. The clerk explained after putting me on hold several times that I had to go to CVS to transfer the perscription because Walmart did not have it. The clerk on the phone continued on telling me, an unidentified caller, the following about the customer, Frank G, oh that man he was so awful and he caused so many problems in the pharmacy. I asked the clerk if she was there and witnessed the incident and she said no. I did not get her name. I told her that I was not there either and that I did not appreciate her gossiping about my husband to another customer. She said she was not gossiping and how could I say that.

I told her since she was not there and I was not there she was gossiping. She told me that she would report me to the health authorities because I accused her of gossiping about a client. She asked for my name. I asked her the reason she needed my name and she said she was required to call our health care professional to tell them that we are causing problems at the pharmacy and would have to report us because she was not gossiping. I told her I was done talking to her and I hung up.

I talked to one of our doctors about this breach of confidentiality. As far as I am concerned and my doctor agrees, she was talking about a client's health related issues to a stranger on the phone. Is there no client confidentiality? Are pharmacists free to discuss the health related issues with anyone and then threaten them with authoritarian involvement if they dare speak up?

Mary of Salem, NH September 19, 2007

I sent my husband to the pharmacy to pick up my Insulin. When he got back home they gave him the wrong medicine.  I called and they told me it was the medicine that the Dr. ordered, well it had someone else's name on it. They gave me the wrong amount of pills, and needles. When I called them about this they said that my husband accepted them and that there was nothing I could do now!

Gayle of Dubuque, IA September 6, 2007

On Thursday, 9/6/07, at 3:00 PM, I went to return an package of Advil Cold & Sinus Liqui-gels that I purchased on 9/4/07. At the time of purchase, I had to give my driver's license and signature for the item (due to improper use by drug dealers). The package was put directly into a bag and stapled with the receipt attached. When I got home to use the item, I noticed that the expiration date was 10/07 code #B53963, meaning that the item was about to expire and the strength of the medication would not be powerful, especially since this type of medication does not get used-up immediately.

When I went back to the store to get a more updated package (I had not used any and the package was still sealed), the associate was rude when I told her the situation and refused to process a return and told me, We don't put on the dates and they are left on the shelves until after they expire. She was very abrupt and embarassed me in front of other customers by making me feel ridiculous for trying to get a package that would last for a longer period of time.

After I left and was getting into my car, one of the other customers who had witnessed the situation came up to me and said that I should report this to the FDA and couldn't believe what had happened on a simple exchange that could have easily been done.

Since there is waiting period of 1 month for additional purchases, another retail pharmacy suggested that I visit a doctor and get a prescription, but that would mean a 60 office visit plus the cost of the prescription all for a 4.47 item that could easily have been taken care of at the store level.

Kelly of Allbertville, AL August 30, 2007

my son and i had been to the doctor late in the afternoon on august 27,2007. the pharmacy i use on a regular basis was already closed 6pm. we arrived at walmart around 6:10pm to drop off our prescriptions. the man who waited on us said it would be close 8pm before they would be ready. we left and went home approx. 10miles away. i returned to walmart at 7:50pm where i had to wait in line behind several angry people,who's prescriptions were still not ready.

when it was finally my turn at 8:05pm the cashier told me mine and sons was not ready, but the pharmacist was working on it. so i shop around awhile, i returned at 8:20pm and have to wait another ten minutes in line again behind afew angry people. when it is my turn again she proceeds to tell me that my sons is ready but they are out of mine.

i asked her why she did not tell me this 20 minutes ago when the pharmacist was working on it. she said he did not mention it to me, really smart like, now it is 9:35pm and the other walmart is at least 20 minutes away. no time to get there. i have an inner ear and chest cold and had to suffer coughing all night.

Geraldine of Wellington, FL July 7, 2007

Maritza had me wait 2 hours for my prescription telling me over and over they were working on it. Therefore, after no one even explaining THEIR error - they treated me as though I did something wrong. Guess what? I asked for my prescription back - went to WALGREENS.

Dana of Alligator, MS March 9, 2007

My daughter and I ran by Walmart on Thursday 02/08/07 night at 10:00pm to pick up a few items. When I went to check out there were only 1 lane open. The line of customers was extremely long(approx.15 customers waiting.) When I approached two staff emp. (1-sorting items in baskets & another in customer service laughing on what appeared to be a personal call). No one could tell me where the manager could be found. I then spoke with Nancy (floor supervisor) who was closing out.   My actual time in line 26 minutes. I understand that there are fewer employees on the night shift, my complaint is there were Walmart staff who were standing and chatting with each other, that could have helped. Several customers did get irritated, set their items on shelf and walked out empty handed.

Lindsay of Sterling Heights, MI March 7, 2007

Rich, is one of the managers who continued to harass me, they give people hours and then they make them cut it, to keep from giving the overtime, now some people get overtime if they are nice. Then Walmart came out with this new attendance policy which will eliminate people by the day and by the night saying that people cannot have mergencies

I lost my job.

Donna L. Robinson of Baltimore, MD January 31, 2007

Went to the pharmacy to drop off 3 perscriptions for my daughter to have filled they were for insulin and syringes. I gave the perscription slips to the person taking them at the time and told the young man that this person does not have health insurance to let them know I was paying cash for the medication. The time I dropped them off was 7:00 pm. He told me it would take forty minutes.

I came back to the pharmacy forty five minutes later and the person at the pick-up window told me that it wasn't ready yet, so I sat down on the bench at the pharmacy and waited. Fifteen minutes later the person at the pick-up window ask me the name for the prescription I was waiting for and I told her. Again she said it wasn't ready. This went on until 8:55 and this time she asked one of the pharmacist if they were working on the prescription and she told her no she stopped because there was a problem.

So I asked what problem? She said there was a problem with the insurance. I told her there is no insurance and that I told the young man that when I handed over to him. She then said well you have to wait until tomorrow because we close at 9:00. I said my daughter needs her insulin tonight. She then said well no one else after you rudely. She then said we do not have the syringes in stock you have to come get them tomorrow.

The attitude of the staff in that department was terrible. They were rude and insensitive. I waited two hours and they tried to close up on me and others that were also waiting for a long period of time. I don't understand why she didn't ask me about the insurance when she seen me waiting.

Lynda of Fredericksburg, VA November 4, 2006

Recently I transferred an online prescription from Costco to Walmart, with the new prices I was hoping to save money. On the 4th day of transferring, I went to Walmart, stood in there half hour to 1 hour line. The girl couldn't find the prescription. She told me it had just now popped up. I said after 4 days it is just now popping up? Strange, so I said I would pick it up tomorrow. Next night I went back to Walmart, stood in the line (at least there was only 3 of us) stood another 30 minutes, this time the girl sends me to the pharmacist, he asks me what I needed, how do I know what I needed, she just sent me there.

So I had to repeat my story I was there to pick uup a prescription. The damn prescription was still in their computor, nobody had called Costco to even transfer it. He was very nice said he would call right now. I told him never mind, I would leave my prescriptions at Costco, that after 5 days it should have been filled. I have a feeling Walmart will be pulling a lot of crap to get out of offering 4.00 prescriptions. My friend in another state couldn't get the 4.00 asthma inhaler, Walmart went to a more expensive one telling her it was environmentally safe. She asked them how it could be safer when you put it in your mouth an inhale. I'm guessing we are not the only ones getting screwed by this company. I should have known better, I hate Walmarts.

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