Showing posts with label Friendship and Compounding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friendship and Compounding. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Just As Good Friends Deceive and Betray Us So Do Some Compounding Pharmacies, But Not All Are Bad.

Doletta Sue Tuck
December 25, 2012

Sometimes we think we know our friends pretty well.  We think they would do anything for us just as we would do anything for them. We think they would never intentionally harm or hurt us.  We especially think they will do the right thing by us.  We are honest with them.  We answer the questions they ask us even when we think it is none of their business.  We keep their secrets even though we would rather tell.  We try to help them in anyway we can.  We are always there for them when they need us.  We answer the phone when they call us.  We even go the extra mile by doing something to right a past wrong we have done to them.  We give them second chances even though they hurt us in the past.

As fate would have it, however, in some case we learn they weren't really our friends at all.  Instead,  they use us.  They deceived us.  They betrayed us.  They cared only about themselves at the end of the day.  They hurt us a second time. They don't do the right thing.  They are never there for us when we need them most even though they say they will be. They don't answer our phone calls.  They take advantage of us, leaving us in tears and pain.  We find it hard to forgive them--to even want to remain their friend.  The trust will never be the same.

The first problem is that I doubt these friends even know what they did or what they have lost. The second problem is these friends don't care about what they have done.  The third problem is that we know what was lost, what changed, and what will never be the same because after all this is our second time down this road.  Does this mean we can never have a close friend again?  Absolutely not.  Does this mean we have to be more careful and make better choices next time?  Absolutely yes.  Our criteria for close friendships must be better defined, our trust must be reserved for those who are worthy,  the layer of protection must not be removed for just anyone in the future.

While I am writing about a person who I thought had become one of my closet friends and who  I trusted with my most guarded secrets, this analysis all to well fits the compounding world today.  We think we know our compounding pharmacy pretty well.  We think the pharmacist working for the compounding pharmacy will not intentionally harm or hurt us or our pets.  In fact, we believe the medications they compound for us will do nothing but help us or our pets.  We are open and honest with our health issues or those of our pet.  We answer the questions.  We help any way can.  But in some cases, these pharmacies aren't really compounding pharmacies at all! Instead, they use us to make money.  They are selfish, greedy companies or even worse manufacturing pharmaceutical companies operating under the guise of compounding pharmacies.  They deceives us about their preparations.  They betray us into believing the preparation has been prepared in accordance with all the state and federal rules and regulations when in fact they have not.  The preparations end up hurting us or our pets.  We learn all the things they did wrong--just like in the NECC case.  The compounding pharmacies take advantage of us.  This leaves us in tears and in pain.  We find it hard to forgive the compounding world or even to want to try. We feel as a consumer that the trust will never be the same, after all isn't this the second or third or fourth time the compounding world has betrayed us.

Unlike my friend who use to be close, I think the compounding world knows what it did and what it lost. We the consumer also know what was lost, what changed and what will never be the same with regard to compounded medications.  Does this mean we should never use compounded medications for humans or animals again?  Absolutely not.  Just as all people don't make bad friends, neither do all compounding pharmacies equal NECC.  As I have written before does this mean we need reform?  Absolutely yes.  Do they need to be proactive?  Absolutely yes.  The only question remaining is who is "they" in the last sentence?  compounding pharmacies, states and the federal government or me and my friend.  I will let you the reader answer that question.