Kings Highway CVS Cited for Prescription Errors

A CVS pharmacy in Cherry Hill was one of five in New Jersey cited for dispensing incorrect medication, and has been mandated to retrain workers and maintain tighter oversight by the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, state Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa announced Monday.

The CVS at 600 North Kings Highway commingled metoprolol, which helps manage high blood pressure, with risperidone, which treats schizophrenia, in three containers given to people on the blood pressure medication in March 2012, according to Division of Consumer Affairs officials.

There were other containers that mixed the two drugs, officials said, but none left the pharmacy.

The investigation into the pharmacy mistakes started an investigation into mix-ups in December 2011 and January 2012 at a CVS in Chatham, Morris County, where pill bottles that were supposed to have tablets of children’s chewable fluoride also held tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer, state officials said. While the drugs appear similar, they have different imprint codes that make them easily distinguishable, officials said.

“The Division of Consumer Affairs launched an immediate inquiry to ascertain the facts, and potential harm to consumers, of a pill dispensing error at the CVS in Chatham, and soon learned about similar incidents at a total of five CVS pharmacies across New Jersey, all within a short span of time,” Chiesa said in a statement. “In order to protect the public and prevent these errors from happening again, the Division pushed CVS to work with us on an effective solution. As a result, CVS has already begun to enhance its quality and safety assurance measures, and has agreed to contribute $650,000 toward a Division of Consumer Affairs education and enforcement campaign on prescription drug safety and abuse.”

CVS has agreed to closer monitoring to ensure prescriptions are filled accurately, and is adding color of medications on its website and will offer a personalized prescription profiles for each customer, state officials said.

In addition to the Cherry Hill and Chatham incidents, state officials said CVS pharmacies in Budd Lake, Rahway and Scotch Plains were also found to have dispensed incorrect medication, all in March 2012.

While CVS agreed to various measures and will provide its pharmacies with access to the New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program, as well as pay for a public education campaign, the company admitted no liability for the errors under the agreement with the Division of Consumer Affairs.