That is very strange, usually you can trust big business because they want to keep your business. Did you tell them what you found out? If not you should tell them, so that store will know if was fake.

Emma: I haven't gone back and probably won't very soon since I rarely go to this pharmacy.

You shouldn't need to go back in person. Go to Walgreen's corporate website and find the "Contact Us" button. Type in your experience and why you were disturbed at the misleading statement (be polite, they'll understand the euphemism for "lie") from one of their pharmacists.

It's important to do these kinds of reporting issues because it really can have results! Feedback matters; it may turn out that Walgreen's corporate mgmt either had no idea this was being done, or if they did know, will be shamed out of it by enough people saying, "Excuse me, but you had no right to try to collect information under misleading circumstances."

Ok, I just sent a complaint to Walgreens Corporate, as suggested.

I had trouble with Walgreens in AZ several years ago. I had a sinus infection, have excellent Ins, used it other states and at other pharmacies without any problems, but at that one, . It was about 10pm at night, one other person in the drugstore, they would not honor my insurance at all, and took almost 2 hours to fill it. When I complained after about 30 minutes, she snapped that there was other prescriptions to fill but never saw her fill a single one. I asked again, she really got nasty. I had to pay cash, contacted Blue Cross next day, they said it was out of their control, so I wrote a letter explaining exactly what happened and sent it to the CEO. Got a phone call from the manager at Walgreen wanting to know why, explained the situation, and she really got snotty. I hope I never have to use them again. We don't have them here in ND but they are high in everything.

posting deleted at author's request

This post was edited by jannie on Wed, May 1, 13 at 9:57

Jannie you are completely wrong. Walgreens is NOT part of Walmart.

Here is a link that might be useful: Walgreen's information.

This post was edited by sushipup on Mon, Apr 29, 13 at 11:55

This is not very encouraging. I had the best pharmacy in our city and the least expensive. He actually did comparison shopping to get below other stores prices. Recently he had health problems and had to sell. He sold to Walgreen's because they promised to keep the prices he had set for his customers. Luckily I don't use prescription meds except for pain or antibiotics following surgery.

Most of stuff in "ALL" stores is from foreign countries. If it says "distributed by" on label they aren't even telling you what country it comes from. Even high class expensive stores out here sell mostly foreign goods!! DIL worked for Wal Mart in Midwest. She had excellent insurance from them. When I shop there I look at labels & pick U.S. made items as often as I can. Bigelow Constant Comment tea ($2 cheaper than at local grocery store) says blended & packaged in US. Good Earth Original Sweet & Spicy (About $2 cheaper also) doesn't really say, just says their NJ address, I've gotten it for yrs.Do have to check on things like tuna because if it comes from China it tastes awful, local grocer told me you would be shocked to find out how much of your food is coming from China. So Macy's & all the rest are getting stuff from China! India is making lot of pickles, Viet Nam & other Asian countries make your underwear & clothes . J.C.Penny's ,Sears etc, no escaping it. Read the labels, you wouldn't be able to get dressed if you won't buy foreign goods. I look at all the socks etc & buy the ones made in U.S. if there are any!! And since this is on drug stores most of our drugs are made overseas. Naturemade vitamins were made a few miles from my house. I bought some this morning but it says distributed by Nature Made- so where are they made now !! Foreign country of course. Eggs come from China, it is really scary, jams, pears in jar you name it & some of labels look very "American" to trick you!! Read the backs & then see how much you can really buy here that is made here! Idaho Instant mashed potatoes- distributed by Idahoan Foods & since it doesn't say(produce from U.S.A.) the potatoes could be from anywhere in the world!!

I guess Walgreens did take my concerns seriously. I've had a call from one of their managers and was suppose to take a call from the local pharmacy manager today, but missed it because I was on another call. It will be interesting to see how this progresses.

I was telling my neighbor about this conversation. She told me the last time she was in a Walgreens it really was her last time. She had a few items in her hands and the pharmacist, came out from behind his counter and started to follow her. He followed her as long as she shopped, finally she had enough, laid her purchase down and left the store. He probably thought he scared off a shop lifter. She realizes now she should have complained.

I've never found anything to be a bargain at Walgreens.

I talked to the Pharmacy manager at the local Walgreens yesterday and she started right in with how, ".... this was requested by your insurance company." I once again explained that Blue Shield said that they hadn't, and never would, request such a review. She then went on to say it was Walgreens' policy to review a client's drugs once a year, BUT, this was completely voluntary.

The upshot is that she stood her ground that it was Walgreens, in cooperation with our insurance company, that caused her pharmacist to request DH give the interview. I stood my ground and continued with my determination to remove the one and only, last prescription from their 'mitts'.

And so, they've lost another customer.

It really is a good idea, though, to have a single pharmacist review all meds a person is on. Doctors unfortunately can't or don't keep up with all drug interactions; that is a pharmacist's specialty. And a surprising number of health problems, especially in the elderly, are a result of too many or interactions. If your pharmacy doesn't offer, ask for this service. You can choose a pharmacist that you trust.

The HIPAA rules are often misinterpreted or interpreted too stringently like when a doctor's office won't give info to the emergency room without a signed release (even though that is absolutely permitted under HIPAA), but strictly speaking, you would have to show that you have POA or some kind of written permission from your spouse in order for any medical professional to discuss his/her healthcare with you.

HOWEVER, you would be shocked to learn what is allowed to be and is shared amongst insurance companies and providers. What Walgreens asked to do (and they were it seems trying to follow the privacy laws while offering this service) is nothing compared to the information that is available -- all your health history, bills, payments...

"So, just what was Walgreens trying to pull? They wanted me/us to turn over what I consider private information to a large corporation that I hardly use."

Thanks for posting this Westelle. I'd read about it but hadn't heard any personal accounts.

This might be what Walgreens is up to, and I don't like it a bit either. Seems like they haven't learned their lesson from 2011.

"Customers accuse Walgreens of selling medical information Walgreens accused of selling medical information

Posted: April 1, 2011

In early March, Walgreens customers filed a lawsuit in California accusing Walgreen Co. of "unlawfully selling medical information gleaned from patient prescriptions," according to Reuters Legal. But there's a twist.

Instead of complaints stemming from a violation of patient privacy, the plaintiffs are seeking the commercial value of their prescription information.

Data mining companies, which buy prescription information from drug stores like Walgreens, resell that information to pharmaceutical companies. The practice is used as a marketing tactic, so drug companies can pinpoint physicians more apt to prescribe new medications or those considered "high-volume prescribers," Reuters Legal reported....."

A link that might be useful:

insidebiz.com/news/customers-accuse-walgreens-selling-medical-information-walgreens-accused-selling-medical-inform

This information is very interesting, dream garden, and I believe it.

Another part to this tale has appeared. I got a letter from Blue Shield saying that we should have such an evaluation done by.... Walgreens! This after BS telling me that they never would do this. Then I got a phone call from BS telling how we should have this done by... Walgreens... and would I do this ?. When I said "NO!" the poor dear didn't know what to say. She finally asked why and so I gave her... a polite... earful. Their initials say it all.

bump

Bump?

"Another part to this tale has appeared. I got a letter from Blue Shield saying that we should have such an evaluation done by.... Walgreens! This after BS telling me that they never would do this."

Sounds like Blue Shield might be working with Walgreens to 'harvest' information.

Has anyone read the book 'Our Daily Meds'-by Melody Peterson? That is where I learned about some of the shenanigans the drug companies are pulling with the drug stores. They buy prescription records so they can sell the doctors drugs that go along with suspected conditions.

A link that may be useful:

www.nytimes.com/2008/03/17/books/17masl.html?_r=0

Interesting thoughts, dreamgarden. I'm not that sure that the several un-needed drugs that were given to my DH by a cardiologist aren't the cause for his present condition.

I talked to a pharmacists and that is not an uncommon event. She said they all do that for different reasons.

A follow up to this kind of stuff----Our Blue Cross ( Alere) does do a yearly call on DH's meds. Not on mine--not sure why not, except he is on some very expensive ones. First time they did it, they had him taking some that we had never heard of, and the person and I really got into it. Finally after about 4 years now, they do have it down correctly, but I have been a "bear" about what information they want and they have. Each and every time either one of us gets a new med, and even I review some of the older ones, I review it on the Internet. Our pharmacy is connected with the medical center and we know them very well, and their answer to this is we just don't have time to check up on our clients, unless we see a problem and then they discuss it with the medical staff first.