How Walgreens profiles patients (internal document)

https://www.wthr.com/sites/wthr.com/files/archive/WalgreensGFDdocuments.pdf

https://web.archive.org/web/20170908235423/https://www.wthr.com/sites/wthr.com/files/archive/WalgreensGFDdocuments.pdf

And if you are diabetic Walgreen tries force you to show ID for the syringes then puts your name in a log book but never verify your diabetic or need syringes for anything legitimate.

So where does that list of names they collect go, what do they do with it ?

Syringes are over the counter and so are some insulins. That is the way it should be. That is the way it should stay. I donā€™t deserve to get sick or have to go to the ER or any hassle from anyone or get permission from anyone or show ID like I live in a police state to purchase the supplies I need to stay alive.

No ID no syringes, never ever shopping Walgreens again.

The comments, which included statements such as ā€œShe seems shady,ā€ were entered into the database by pharmacy workers using computerized on-screen forms, according to the lawsuits

https://www.pharmacist.com/article/court-rules-family-can-sue-walgreens-over-womans-death-after-insurance-denial

We have never been asked for ID.

I have never been asked for ID at Walgreens. But, I am asked at the clinic. I say I donā€™t have it. I prefer to limit the info they have in their database, where possible. Its a little passive aggressive. But, I never used to have to show ID to attend a medical appointment. They know who I am. I dont like it.

I need an Rx for syringes in my state, but have never been asked to sign anything. They will usually just give me some for free if I need them and the Rx is expired, although I might need to travel to several stores.

The syringe hang ups might not be a Walgreens-thing, but more of a state law-thing. Anybody know? (although, I would agree with you that people do need to get sued for making it prohibitively difficult to access life preserving medication. They do that. For people unfamiliar with ā€˜how it works,ā€™ it can be a real barrier to accessing care.)

Walgreens definitely profiles people who want to purchase non-prescription items from the pharmacy. Many years ago, I had a cat that was diabetic. There is a Target next to where I work and the pharmacy staff there was always very helpful with insulin and syringes. However, on one occasion I had to go to Walgreens because Target was out of stock of the generic syringes. (The B&D syringes were three times the price.) The Walgreens tech was rude and demanding, insisting I must fill out a ā€œdiabetes profileā€ before he could sell me syringes. I explained that (at the time) I did not have diabetes, the syringes were for a pet. He huffed off to call who knows, and at that point another tech snuck over and apologetically sold me their generic syringes. I have never been back to a Walgreens since. For anything.

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In many European countries, unfortunately, you do most definitely require a prescription to purchase syringes, which adds to the hassle of being a diabetic.

I always thought that drug users kinda helped us gain access to syringes because I thought that they were required to do needle exchange. In a pinch, I always thought I could bring a couple used syringes in and demand they exchange them. Strange stuff you guys are seeing. Even if you were a full blown drug user, I would expect them to sell you syringes without a question. Odd. I didnā€™t imagine it was like that. Thats unfortunate.

Walmart did the same thing when I bought syringes with non-prescription R. They had me list my name and the reason I needed the syringes. The whole page was filled with people who were using it for insulin. Since I bought R at the same time it seemed pretty obvious why I was using it. I think itā€™s just standard procedure to get the name of anyone that purchases syringes. Thereā€™s probably some liability risk involved.

I didnā€™t really think it was that big of a deal. Though I suppose them showing me otherā€™s names is kind of ā– ā– ā– ā– ā– ā–  of them. If Iā€™d used a prescription and insurance ID then theyā€™d also have my nameā€¦

You canā€™t even buy sudafed without showing ID and having your data recorded. Iā€™d rather have a long history recorded of needing syringes for legitimate reason when they decide to crack down on the IV drug users

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Donā€™t drug users use syringes with much longer needles than the subcutaneous ones we use for insulin? After all, they do inject into veins and we donā€™t. I donā€™t think any tracking is validā€¦

I always wanted to go to needle exchange and make sure to ask for the 3/10cc with half-unit markings :slight_smile:

It is kinda funny whenever someone finds a needle washed up on the beach and takes a picture and they assume that it mustā€™ve been from a druggie.

Instead I look at the BD brand markings and U-100 orange cap and think itā€™s way more likely to have been an insulin user. Just my default assumption. I would assume (but donā€™t know for sure) the needle exchanges use the super duper cheapo brands, not BD?

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Diabetics are still using syringes?? Wow, I thought pens would have made syringes passe.

And you have no syringes on hand just in case?
I have been on the pump for more years than I wish to acknowledge but I still have syringes on hand just in case something goes wrong and I need to bypass the pump. This happened a few years ago when my pump had to be replaced. Even though Animas expedited another pump to me, it was over a weekend and I had to deal with the syringe for a day and a half. How else?

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I have a bunch of pens. there are also 3 or four pumps in the house. Syringes are of zero concern to me. My endo hands out insulin and pens for the asking, btwā€¦

I like my syringes. I carry them in my d-bag with my vial of insulin. Itā€™s more economical for me this way, than to use a pen, when I have vials to fill my pods.

Iā€™ll ask my endo the next time weā€™re there about any insulin (vials/pens) they may have and too, any pen needles or syringes for that matter! Thanks for the suggestion.

Few doctors around rural southwest Wisconsin have any free insulin or anything else to give away because they donā€™t allow the pharma reps in anymore. That is goodā€¦ and bad in some ways.

In Illinois, you can buy up to 20 syringes without a prescription; however, they are supposed to check that the the buyer is over 18. More than 20 syringes needs a prescription ā€“ even for pen needles (which is silly).

Drop ONE syringe in one hallway and everybody goes berserk. No need to blame innocent drug addicts. Teachers would get real worked up that middle school kids were using syringe drugs and have long, hysterical meetings about what to doā€¦until one person thought to turn their attentions to the diabetics in the school. Once the other diabetic died in a car accident, I claimed full responsibility for any lost syringes. Iā€™m sure it was me.

Iā€™m sure that I accidentally drop syringes and raise red alerts all over the place. My friends joke that I sprinkle blood sugar strips everywhere I go, like fairy dust. They say that I could never get away with committing a crime because the cops would find a trail of blood sugar strips that led directly to my house.

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Oh my! Too funny! And yet, so true!

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