topic Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy in Wellness

Rite Aid Bankruptcy

PickyPicky3 — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:36:34 GMT

I knew Rite Aid was preparing a chapter 11 bankruptcy because of all the opioid litigation it has faced. It just happened today.

Last week I refilled a couple of prescriptions and two generic manufacturers were changed. I can't help thinking Rite Aid's credit is shot and they'll have to buy pills wherever they can.

Might this affect quality?

I know if I ask them I'll be told everything meets standards.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

PinkyPetunia — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:44:23 GMT

I wouldn't worry about it.

I take 4 generic meds and the manufacturer often changes. The pharmacist usually tells me if the pill looks different.

I use CVS in Target.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:45:50 GMT

I don't think the quality of your meds will change. Pharmacies constantly shop for cheaper generics.

If you're concerned you can switch to another pharmacy. I use CVS & sometimes Costco. There are many others that are solvent.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

Icegoddess — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 17:49:10 GMT

Around here all the Rite Aids have been bought out by Walgreens.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

CatsyCline — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 18:02:44 GMT

CVS changed 2 of my generics to cheap ones that have more fillers and less active efficacy.

they said they could only get the cheap generic from their supplier. No idea who supplies them now. in the past they were good about ordering, but no more "special orders"

they sell you their "preferred" generic.

i had a horrible experice with one of the meds...they said sorry, hands tied, this is what we have.

so i had to go to another pharmacy and pay out of pocket.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

bikerbabe — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 18:04:00 GMT

Pharmacies change generic manufacturers all the time. It may be price or even supply.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

millieshops — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 18:20:05 GMT

@Icegoddess That makes sense to me. Rite Aids financial issues predate the opioid crisis. That crisis was probably the nail in their bankruptcy coffin.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

RedTop — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 18:49:06 GMT

Rite-Aid pulled out of this area of WV more than 10 years ago. WalMart, CVS and Walgreens are our only local options.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

On It — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 18:57:02 GMT

@CatsyCline A CVS pharmacist told me they put their various generic medications out for bids. The lowest bid gets the contract. He could not help me get my prescription from the manufacturer that makes the product most effective for me. I found another pharmacy who special orders for me.

If anyone is not responding to prescribed medication, it may not be your medical condition. It may be an ineffective generic drug.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

catter70 — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 19:50:37 GMT

The Rite-Aid by me closed a couple weeks ago. It was across the street from a Walgreens and about 2 miles from CVS. Also, with in that range Walmart, Weis, Giant and Wegman's that all have pharmacies. Overkill.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

NicksmomESQ — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 20:54:13 GMT

@On It I'm sorry you had a problem with certain generic medications. My husband has been on several in the last year & luckily hasn't had a problem.

Aren't all medications supposed to contain the same compounds in the same quantities? Isn't there oversight by the Food & Drug Administration?

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

catmama — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 21:02:57 GMT

Rite Aid bought a longtime drugstore chain in Seattle called Bartells. This happened not quite two years ago. Bartells had been in the Seattle area for over 100 years and was considered the neighborhood place to shop. Not only were the sales clerks and pharmacy personnel friendly and helpful, they stocked a large selection of northwest products. It was fun to shop there during the holidays.

Well over the past few months Rite Aid started closing down the Bartells. Needless to say, people are very angry over this and even though Rite Aid has transferred the pharmacy services to the local Rite Aid's that are also in the neighborhood, they are losing customers. Everyone has been talking about the rumored bankruptcy and no one is sorry to hear about this.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

PickyPicky3 — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 21:12:49 GMT

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

On It — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 21:24:35 GMT

@NicksmomESQ I do not know how these drugs are regulated that are being manufactured overseas. I was ordering my medication from Valisure which tests every prescription drug they stock. They are the company that found impurities and ingredients that were carcinogenic in batches of blood pressure medications.

The leaders of Valisure have testified before Congress, but sadly the company was bought. Their pharmacy which supplied us was closed not long after the buyout. It is my understanding Valisure still does testing, but we lost our source for reliable medications.

My husband's blood pressure medication was dispensed by CVS with a new generic. His pressure went dangerously high, and we had to go to urgent care. We had his prescription filled elsewhere, and his blood pressure gradually returned to normal levels.

A parent told me the generic medication did not control her young son's bipolar disorder. She said something about the active ingredient being the same, but the suspension ingredients were different from the brand version causing it to be less effective.

Edited to add: Did you read @PickyPicky3's post just above my reply? That is a frightening lack of oversight.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

CatsyCline — Mon, 16 Oct 2023 21:59:58 GMT

Two of my generic meds was replaced by CVS. the generic they recently gave me was manf by TORRENT Pharmaceuticals. TORRENT is based in India.

Torrent pulled Losartan in 2019 due to the FDA discovery of cancer-causing contaminants. My medication was not Losartan, but it did cause extreme insomnia. This is a med i have been taking since 1993. Never had a problem with any other of the generic versions.

The FDA has spent more than a year tracking down the factors and players that led to a global recall of high blood pressure medicines tainted with a suspected carcinogen. Now, the FDA has called out India’s Torrent Pharmaceuticals as one of the main culprits in the mess.

The agency not only issued a warning letter to India’s Torrent, it publicly named the company in an update on its investigation, saying the drugmaker “has been one subject of an ongoing global investigation into nitrosamine impurities in angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs) such as valsartan, losartan and irbesartan.”

The FDA update pointed out the warning letter found manufacturing violations at Torrent’s Taluka-Kadi, Indrad, Gujarat facility in India that contributed to the production of tainted valsartan, losartan and irbesartan.

A second generic CVS substituted, from Viona, did not work correctly for me. The med i take is a muscle relaxer. Comes to find out:

This VIONA recall involved Metformin:

The FDA has announced the recall of one brand of a popular type 2 diabetes drug, metformin, over a potentially cancer-causing impurity.
Viona Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is voluntarily recalling 23 lots of Metformin Hydrochloride Extended-Release Tablets due to the presence of the probable carcinogen NDMA.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

kismet — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 00:05:29 GMT

For many years I have gotten my prescriptions from Rite Aid. I do get home delivery for some but one particular generic drug was filled by the home delivery and it made me feel like I was drugged. I called Rite Aid thinking I could get it filled in the generic I've used for years and they told me they can't order a generic for me and they sell what they get in. The generic they had was the same one that I didn't want. Costco did have what I wanted and I got it there and paid a small amount over my home delivery price. I assumed that the drug that was available was a cheaper version. Fine on the generic I got at Costco. My neighbor is on Medicare and said she has no drug coverage. Said she uses Good RX instead. Guess she must be healthy.

Re: Rite Aid Bankruptcy

bikerbabe — Tue, 17 Oct 2023 13:48:34 GMT

@NicksmomESQ

The FDA’s budget for inspecting anything, food, drugs etc, is always a target for large budget cuts with the assertion that businesses can inspect themselves perfectly fine.