Ugh Pharmacists

[Googles]

I just got a new prescription and needed to decide which pharmacy to send it into based on cost and gluten-freeness. So I called the Costco pharmacy to see if the generic medication they carried was gluten free as the name-brand was more than $150 more expensive. I got transferred to a pharmacist who was of no help what so ever. I ended up asking for the name and phone number of the pharmacutical company that made the drug and the phone number they gave wasn't even correct! She was asking me what things I could take and sent me to a website to check (after which I told her that wouldn't work unless I knew what company they were using to supply them with the drug.) She said that some of the companies will say they have gluten in them because they contain sugar alcohols that sometimes reacts the same way as gluten. Does anyone know what she was talking about and the veracity of her statement? It just left me very confused. So in the end I am going to a more expensive pharmacy, but one that seems to know how to check if drugs are gluten free.

[kareng]

Target has been helpful & called the companies. The best you can get from alot of the drug companies is that they do not add any gluten ingredients. They won't actually say gluten-free. Walgreens was very unhelpful. They are not allowed to check on gluten-free status of medicine. When I wrote the company headquarters to complain, they told me to discuss this with the pharmacist.

[jerseyangel]

I've had very good luck with Wal Mart--they have my information in their system and will call to verify with the drug manufacturer whether the drug is ok for me. Not all locations may be as helpful, though.

CVS was of no help to me at all....

The best way to figure it out is to get the name of the drug company, Google it, and call them yourself.

[Luddie]

I just got a new prescription and needed to decide which pharmacy to send it into based on cost and gluten-freeness. So I called the Costco pharmacy to see if the generic medication they carried was gluten free as the name-brand was more than $150 more expensive. I got transferred to a pharmacist who was of no help what so ever. I ended up asking for the name and phone number of the pharmacutical company that made the drug and the phone number they gave wasn't even correct! She was asking me what things I could take and sent me to a website to check (after which I told her that wouldn't work unless I knew what company they were using to supply them with the drug.) She said that some of the companies will say they have gluten in them because they contain sugar alcohols that sometimes reacts the same way as gluten. Does anyone know what she was talking about and the veracity of her statement? It just left me very confused. So in the end I am going to a more expensive pharmacy, but one that seems to know how to check if drugs are gluten free.

I have had similar experiences. However, when I phoned the manufacturer (Mylan for generic thyroid meds) the consumer rep was most courteous and really tried to be helpful. She looked at the ingredients and said that there were "no gluten products added" and that the alcohol was synthetic. I asked if they assayed the finished product and of course the answer was no. I then asked if they had changed the formulation or had changed suppliers in the past year (when I started getting glutened). She said that any time a new supplier comes along they have to fill out and file with the company answers to a bunch of questions.. And, she said she had been there for 5 years and this profile had never changed. So that leaves me with the further question of where do the suppliers get their raw materials? I've heard that some come from China and even from Eastern Europe. So, how would we ever be able to find out? Even when people are very nice and helpful, they simply may not know. We have to get the legislation passed so that "gluten free" actually has a definition in the U.S. Canada has it as far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong). That would certainly make our lives much easier!

[psawyer]

Canada has it as far as I know (correct me if I'm wrong). That would certainly make our lives much easier!

Here is the applicable Canadian regulation. It applies to food sold in Canada, but food sold outside Canada may not have to adhere to the rule.

Food and Drug Regulation B.24.018

No person shall label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is gluten-free unless the food does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye or triticale or any part thereof.

Under this rule, gluten-free means gluten-free. It even goes so far as to say that selling "gluten-free oats" is illegal in Canada. It is so restrictive, when taken with another regulation, that many foods that are actually gluten-free may not legally be so labeled.

[Luddie]

Here is the applicable Canadian regulation. It applies to food sold in Canada, but food sold outside Canada may not have to adhere to the rule.

Food and Drug Regulation B.24.018

No person shall label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is gluten-free unless the food does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye or triticale or any part thereof.

Under this rule, gluten-free means gluten-free. It even goes so far as to say that selling "gluten-free oats" is illegal in Canada. It is so restrictive, when taken with another regulation, that many foods that are actually gluten-free may not legally be so labeled.

Wow! I hope we can get this sort of legislation enacted here!! Thanks for the specifics.

[Asianmom]

I am dealing with this today too!!! I am 7 1/2 weeks pregnant and SO sick with all day/morning sickness. My OB was great and talked to a pharmacist in house to find out what meds I could take that were gluten free. 1 came up...so they called it into CVS. I LOVE my CVS pharmacist, but when I went to pick it up...it was generic. I asked if she checked to see if the generic was gluten free...because the branded was. She said I guess. So she pulled up the information and said...I think so but not sure. REALLY? You can't even really check??? I just talked to a great customer service guy at headquarters and a main pharmacist for CVS will call me today to find out. The manufacturer to this generic is in germany and I sent them an email 1 1/2 days ago with no response.

Why is it that pharmacist treat drug interactions very seriously...but something as serious as gluten is just brushed off?

THANKS!

[compucajun]

Target has been helpful & called the companies. The best you can get from alot of the drug companies is that they do not add any gluten ingredients. They won't actually say gluten-free. Walgreens was very unhelpful. They are not allowed to check on gluten-free status of medicine. When I wrote the company headquarters to complain, they told me to discuss this with the pharmacist.

I had the same experience with Walgreens - very unhelpful to the point of being RUDE !

I found a small, local pharmacy about 50 miles from my house that helps me.

It is a far drive, but it is better than being sick

I've been working out a schedule where they can mail me a three month's supply of my daily meds.

[FarmCat]

psawyer, on 12 January 2011 - 08:57 PM, said:

"Here is the applicable Canadian regulation. It applies to food sold in Canada, but food sold outside Canada may not have to adhere to the rule.

Food and Drug Regulation B.24.018

No person shall label, package, sell or advertise a food in a manner likely to create an impression that it is gluten-free unless the food does not contain wheat, including spelt and kamut, or oats, barley, rye or triticale or any part thereof.

Under this rule, gluten-free means gluten-free. It even goes so far as to say that selling "gluten-free oats" is illegal in Canada. It is so restrictive, when taken with another regulation, that many foods that are actually gluten-free may not legally be so labeled."

PLEASE note that the above regulation specifically states FOOD and not DRUGS. I don't know about Canada, but I do know about the United States. The allergen labelling that is required for food is NOT required for drugs in the United States, and it may be the same in Canada.