The Pharmacy America MIStrusts

In today's South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Missy Stoddard continues to follow the story of Walgreens' flagrant violation of the privacy of their consumers.

Earlier this month, Janey Karp, a Palm Beach woman, filed a lawsuit against Walgreens for "labeling her 'CrAzY!!' and 'psycho' in its nationwide computer system."

Since then, more victims of similar abuses have come forward.

Stoddard writes:

A Palm Beach Gardens grandmother, 64, filed suit Wednesday, accusing the retail chain of negligent supervision and intentional infliction of emotional distress for typing in its system in May 2003: "WATCH CONTROLS SHE SEEMS SHADY."

For nearly 20 years, Elizabeth Noah has patronized the Fairway Drive Walgreens near her home in PGA National, she said. So when the retired United Technologies financial analyst picked up a prescription for anxiety medication the evening of Feb. 6, she began to cry when she read the notation on the Drug Utilization Review -- or DUR -- stapled to the bag.

...The other Walgreens pharmacy customer, Erin Cutler, 30, and a married mother of three who lives outside Ocala, was shocked when she saw that her Walgreens DUR labeled her a "b----." Also alleging negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress, Cutler is filing suit today in Marion County against pharmacist Bruce D. Adams and Walgreens. The initials B.D.A. are typed next to the Oct. 20 entry. Adams on Wednesday referred questions to the Walgreen Co.'s Deerfield, Ill. corporate office.

The DUR is an internal program, accessible to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, according to Walgreens spokeswoman Carol Hively. The nationwide chain's 5,122 stores -- 677 in Florida -- are connected via satellite and each location has access to the information stored in the system, the lawsuits state.

...Walgreens has never apologized to Karp, according to Lake Worth attorney Cathy Lively, who represents all three plaintiffs. Noah and Cutler contacted Lively after reading about Karp's case.

Since Karp's case made national news, Lively said she has been flooded with calls and e-mails from Walgreens customers reporting similar experiences across the country.

"It's certainly not an anomaly. It cannot be, there are way too many," she said.

What Walgreens most likely would have liked to pass off as a one time thing, an isolated incident, is clearly not. Karp was not the only victim.

This should give pause to anyone using a Walgreens pharmacy.

In Erin Cutler's case, after discovering the derogatory comments about her and experiencing extreme distress as a result, "she avoided the store where the entry was made. Then in February her doctor called in a prescription to the store, but it would be weeks before Cutler could get it because the pharmacy repeatedly told her they didn't have it, according to the lawsuit."

After working up the courage to go into the store, Cutler learned that B.A.D., the intitials in the DUR field, were those of the HEAD PHARMACIST!

Cutler confronted Bruce D. Adams, and according to her account, he said that someone else must have used his initials to log into Walgreens' system.

Cutler says, "But then he admitted that you needed a password to get in ... and he blew me off and walked away."

Not surprisingly, Cutler no longer patronizes Walgreens.

She points out, "This is the pharmacy that America trusts, that's their slogan. The trust is gone. It shrunk me down and took away some of the work I've put into [managing] my illness."

The fact that the Walgreens chain has 5,122 stores nationwide and they are all linked into one network by its computer system for filling prescriptions makes these violations that much more troubling.

Think of the thousands of employees that had access to these disparaging remarks.

Walgreens is looking worse and worse.

How will the chain regain the trust of its millions of customers?

This isn't a "finger in the Wendy's chili" case. That was exposed as fraudulent. This is the real deal.

These are real instances that exhibit Walgreens' practice of belittling its customers and violating their privacy.

Check out the Walgreens mission statement.

Walgreens mission is to offer customers the best drugstore service in America. We are guided by a century-old tradition of fairness, trust and honesty as we continue to expand our store base and offer career opportunities to a fast-growing and diverse group of men and women. Our goal is to develop people who treat customers - and each other - with respect and dignity. We will support these efforts with the most innovative retail thinking, services and technology. The success we achieve will allow us to reinvest in our future and build long-term financial security for our employees and our shareholders.

"Tradition of fairness, trust and honesty"?

Walgreens is obviously breaking from tradition.

"Our goal is to develop people who treat customers - and each other - with respect and dignity"?

If that is Walgreens' goal, they are failing miserably.

I think this mission statement needs to be revised. As it stands now, it's a lie.

Check out its ONLINE PRIVACY & SECURITY POLICY.

For over 100 years, Walgreens has established itself as one of the most trusted health care providers in America. Our company has always been committed to providing our valued customers with the best services available.

Frankly, there is reason to doubt this, given the fact that Walgreens has shown that it cannot be trusted to professionally handle the information of its customers.

If Walgreens is truly as committed to its customers as it claims to be, an explanation is in order.

At presents, its website lists no press releases related to the allegations in these lawsuits.