(Loc: Los Angeles, CA, USA) The other day, I got a call from Ralphs pharmacy; the tech said his name is John and he recommended I start taking statins for the high cholesterol he doesn't even know I have! The call went something like this: "Hi, this is John from Ralphs pharmacy. I see you're getting lots of diabetes supplies and thought it'd be good if you also took a statin for high cholesterol..." It set off bells!!! First off, I'm not even sure there IS a "John" at my Ralphs pharmacy, secondly, I know about the whole statin controversy going on and lastly, how can a pharmacy tech (not a doctor) recommend a patient take meds for something he doesn't even know I have?!? The tech does NOT know my medical history, he doesn't KNOW I have high cholesterol; what gives him the RIGHT to call me up and tell me I could benefit from cholesterol meds JUST because I have type 1 diabetes?!? My question is: Is this legal?!? More over, is this LEGIT?!? I'm going to pick something up at the pharmacy today, I'll ask them if it was actually THEM calling or if it was a SCAM or perhaps a (desperate!!!) pharmaceutical company trying to PUSH drugs on people they're not even sure they need!!! I'm disgusted by the whole thing, quite frankly; and was wondering if this happened before? Anyone else get a phone call like this? I didn't want to seem RUDE, in case it WAS my pharmacy; but not knowing for sure it was them, I quickly made up an excuse and hung up, fearing it was a SCAM and someone was trying to steal my identity!!! LOL Seriously, though, this isn't a laughing matter; it irritates me even when my own doctor(s) try to convince me to take meds I don't even need, as a "necessary precaution," but when someone who's NOT even QUALIFIED to suggest/recommend a potentially harmful drug (no offense!!!) without even knowing my history... gives me the willies!!! What does everyone think? Thanks in advance. And if I pissed anyone off, forgive me 🙂
UPDATE: OK, so...I just got back from the pharmacy and got to talk to this John guy who called the other day. Apparently he's a new guy (err, new pharmacist) and he's calling around to all patients who are at risk for heart disease, and just my luck, being type 1 diabetics puts me in THAT category *eye roll* So, I took the guy aside (by the way, he's like 80 years old, so I was on my best behavior!!!) and asked him, "What gives you the right to call patients up out of the blue and recommend statins to them? You're not a doctor, you're not even qualified to tell people they NEED statins!!! Is someone forcing you to do this? Is some organization or a drug company either paying you, compensating you in some way or FORCING you to cold call patients supposedly at risk and recommend they take statins? How can you recommend statins to patients whose medical history you don't even know? You don't know what my cholesterol is, where do you get off telling me I NEED statins?"
So, by now, he's shaking in his loafers and smiling and turning all shades of red and he says, "Well, no... I'm not qualified to recommend statins and you're right, I don't know your medical history, but I see you have diabetes, and as you know, diabetics are at high risk of getting heart attacks because they generally have high cholesterol, so I just thought you might be interested in taking a statin."
"Well, don't you think it's up to my doctor to recommend statins to me, NOT my pharmacist? You don't give patients blood tests, only my doctor can order a lipid test for me, and only my doctor is qualified to SUGGEST I take a statin and if I agree, then fine. But, I really think you should tell whoever it is that's PAYING or FORCING you to call patients up and tell them they NEED statins just because they are at risk for heart disease, its not the pharmacist's place. Think about it, what if you manage to SCARE someone into taking statins? What if he's so scared, he tells his doctor he wants to go on statins even if he might not need them? Statins are harmful drugs; and most people don't even NEED them if they JUST eat better and exercise, they can get their cholesterol to a good place without the use of potentially deadly drugs. But the bottom line is, it REALLY isn't the pharmacist's place to cold call patients at supposedly high risk for heart disease and tell them you think they'd benefit taking statins. I would appreciate it if you'd pass this message along to the organization that's MAKING you do this. It really isn't your place, you're NOT qualified. I hope you understand, and NO OFFENSE!!!"
He smiled and shook his head and apologized. I'm just glad it wasn't some scammer trying to steal my identity!!! LOL
UPDATE: OK, so...I just got back from the pharmacy and got to talk to this John guy who called the other day. Apparently he's a new guy (err, new pharmacist) and he's calling around to all patients who are at risk for heart disease, and just my luck, being type 1 diabetics puts me in THAT category *eye roll* So, I took the guy aside (by the way, he's like 80 years old, so I was on my best behavior!!!) and asked him, "What gives you the right to call patients up out of the blue and recommend statins to them? You're not a doctor, you're not even qualified to tell people they NEED statins!!! Is someone forcing you to do this? Is some organization or a drug company either paying you, compensating you in some way or FORCING you to cold call patients supposedly at risk and recommend they take statins? How can you recommend statins to patients whose medical history you don't even know? You don't know what my cholesterol is, where do you get off telling me I NEED statins?"
So, by now, he's shaking in his loafers and smiling and turning all shades of red and he says, "Well, no... I'm not qualified to recommend statins and you're right, I don't know your medical history, but I see you have diabetes, and as you know, diabetics are at high risk of getting heart attacks because they generally have high cholesterol, so I just thought you might be interested in taking a statin."
"Well, don't you think it's up to my doctor to recommend statins to me, NOT my pharmacist? You don't give patients blood tests, only my doctor can order a lipid test for me, and only my doctor is qualified to SUGGEST I take a statin and if I agree, then fine. But, I really think you should tell whoever it is that's PAYING or FORCING you to call patients up and tell them they NEED statins just because they are at risk for heart disease, its not the pharmacist's place. Think about it, what if you manage to SCARE someone into taking statins? What if he's so scared, he tells his doctor he wants to go on statins even if he might not need them? Statins are harmful drugs; and most people don't even NEED them if they JUST eat better and exercise, they can get their cholesterol to a good place without the use of potentially deadly drugs. But the bottom line is, it REALLY isn't the pharmacist's place to cold call patients at supposedly high risk for heart disease and tell them you think they'd benefit taking statins. I would appreciate it if you'd pass this message along to the organization that's MAKING you do this. It really isn't your place, you're NOT qualified. I hope you understand, and NO OFFENSE!!!"
He smiled and shook his head and apologized. I'm just glad it wasn't some scammer trying to steal my identity!!! LOL
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