I-TEAM Investigation: Local CVS pharmacies cited for violations by Ohio Board of Pharmacy

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – Inspectors from the State of Ohio’s Board of Pharmacy say they found numerous violations inside two local CVS Health pharmacies over the past three years, according to a settlement between the board and CVS Health.

“That’s really scary,” said Jewell Gust, who has used a CVS pharmacy to fill her prescription for years.

In total, the settlement, which will cost CVS Health more than a million dollars, resolved 27 cases pending against 22 CVS pharmacies across the state.

The CVS pharmacy on the corner of Douglas and Monroe is one of eight listed in the settlement that will be on probation for the next three years. A state report alleges inspectors found expired medications on shelves, moldy food on counters, and long wait times to fill prescriptions, among other issues.

In 2022, state representatives interviewed pharmacy staff at that location who said the pharmacy is always short-staffed; corners are cut to dispense prescriptions; patients go without their medications due to computer errors, which staff don’t have time to correct; the pharmacy is always 5 to 6 days behind; and supervisors and managers do not respond to staff calls for help.

That same year a state review found that 14% of prescriptions were given to patients with incorrect directions.

“A lot of people don’t do research, especially on their pharmacies, but even their drugs. I mean, if they’re giving people wrong information, a lot of people don’t look into that at all. So, that’s really scary. That’s terrifying,” Gust said. “I definitely won’t be coming here anymore. I’ll have to switch my pharmacy.”

In Rossford, it’s a similar story. A CVS pharmacy located inside a Target was cited for losing dangerous drugs, including 413 tablets of a Xanex generic and 251 tablets of a medication that includes an opioid pain reliever.

CVS Health responded to the settlement in a statement.

“We’re pleased to have reached an agreement with the Ohio Board of Pharmacy regarding years-old allegations involving some of our Ohio pharmacies. We look forward to working with the Board on these matters moving forward, including enhancing our positive identification systems, and continuing to provide safe, high-quality pharmacy care to our patients.

We’re committed to ensuring there are appropriate levels of staffing and resources at our pharmacies and are making targeted investments, including enabling teams to schedule additional support as needed, enhancing pharmacist and technician recruitment and hiring, and strengthening pharmacy technician training. We’re also making roughly $1 billion in wage increases for pharmacists between 2021 and 2024 and are also awarding roughly $70 million in bonuses to recognize and thank our pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and other frontline colleagues this year.

Our goal is to develop a sustainable and scalable action plan that supports our pharmacy teams and our patients so we can continue meeting our patients’ pharmacy care needs.”

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