Some people will do anything for money.

Published

Tomorrow Wednesday evening Feb 27, CNBC's American Greed will feature the story about that pharmacist that watered down chemo for cancer patients for financial gain. Just wanted to clue you in if you are interested.

Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Don't want to appear retarded but didn't quite understand what you said about "cancers that were actually curable have not be reported as such." Do you mean that research has discovered that some cancers have been found that were curable but do not publicize it because it is not profitable? I'm sorry, from all I know about healthcare or lack of it, and worked several days at a Rehab hospital where a patient was returned to the facility and for the 23 days she was there, nurses did not follow Dr's orders and check the INRs, and call the doctor. They just continued giving Coumadin every day. They did not even order the INRs. When they decided to send the patient to the hospital, she died when she got to the hospital of massive brain hemorrhage. Certainly, the doctor should take responsibility. How could he not know if he got no morning calls for 23 days reporting the INRs that were not done? Although I'll believe anything now, I can't fathom what an evil thing that pharmacist did to other human beings for the sake of greed.

I was using my imagination when I made that comment, but here is the scenerio I was thinking about: suppose MANY pharmacists did this, and did this for patients with a particular type of cancer that is documented to have a high death rate. It could have been that some of these patients could have actually had a cure or remission, but if pharmacists are diluting the chemotherapy cocktails, we would never know for sure that those that died really had to die. They may have had a longer life or even lived to their life's expectancy or above.

With the example of Coumadin, this was negligence on the part of the nurses and even the doctors for not following up. But, if everyone; the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff are following protocol by ordering and administering the medications, there would be no proof that the chemotherapy was diluted. We are all trusting that these are the correct doses. It is almost the same as giving a placebo of an antidiabetic medication (for example). If it is labeled properly, in the right bottle, etc, how would we know that we are giving an M&M rather than the actual medication because the hospital pharmacy wants to save a few bucks?? Horrible!! :angryfire

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This story especially disgusted me because I am a pharmacist. It happened about 5 years ago; I recall the time because of what else I was doing at the time.

Robert Courtney, the pharmacist and business owner who did this, is indeed in prison and will probably die there. What's REALLY despicable is that he did this to fulfill a huge pledge he made to his church!

I saw stories (more than once) on non-medical message boards about people in the Kansas City area who used infusion facilities serviced by him whose cancer progressed rapidly and their doctors were completely perplexed as to why. He also compounded fertility treatments, and those doctors were wondering why their patients all of a sudden stopped getting pregnant. Also, many of the nurses questioned him because many of these drugs have very distinct colors, and all of a sudden, they were clear. He said they had been reformulated, and the nurses had no idea he was lying.

One of my trade magazines had a story (well, they all did, but this one stood out in particular) about this pharmacy, and this one story was about the people who bought the business. They destroyed all the stock, because they didn't want to take any chances, and called all the TV stations in the region to do news stories about it.

This had me :lol2: although it really isn't funny. One of the stations carried the entire process live from start to finish. Some women were a little upset that their soap operas weren't on, but that happened on 9/11 too.

Wow five years ago, how time flies. Never would have guessed it. He did it to get money for his CHURCH! I heard of twisted priorities but that is in a class by itself.

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Specializes in med/surg.
I was using my imagination when I made that comment, but here is the scenerio I was thinking about: suppose MANY pharmacists did this, and did this for patients with a particular type of cancer that is documented to have a high death rate. It could have been that some of these patients could have actually had a cure or remission, but if pharmacists are diluting the chemotherapy cocktails, we would never know for sure that those that died really had to die. They may have had a longer life or even lived to their life's expectancy or above.

With the example of Coumadin, this was negligence on the part of the nurses and even the doctors for not following up. But, if everyone; the doctors, nurses and ancillary staff are following protocol by ordering and administering the medications, there would be no proof that the chemotherapy was diluted. We are all trusting that these are the correct doses. It is almost the same as giving a placebo of an antidiabetic medication (for example). If it is labeled properly, in the right bottle, etc, how would we know that we are giving an M&M rather than the actual medication because the hospital pharmacy wants to save a few bucks?? Horrible!! :angryfire

Given that this is the trend of American businesses, how can you know that you are safe. The corporations are so powerful. If more people could just be educated about this kind of thing, and report suspicions, and be investigated like this guy was.

On the other hand, maybe it isn't so widespread. For example, doctors treat many patients and are smart enough to spot the signs of abuse. Ya think?

Doing it to give money to his church. Yes, a very twisted mind. I read a lot of mystery's, people are murdered, and you know it is just a story. But this takes the cake.

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SOCIOPATH!!!

Let me at him!

I have a baseball bat you can borrow. I also have a crowbar, and a really big pipe wrench that is just perfect for adjusting those pesky kneecaps.

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Specializes in med/surg.
I have a baseball bat you can borrow. I also have a crowbar, and a really big pipe wrench that is just perfect for adjusting those pesky kneecaps.

Oh, do I love the crowbar to the knees. The industrial strength wrench sounds good too.

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Oh, do I love the crowbar to the knees. The industrial strength wrench sounds good too.

With some people, that is the only effective way to adjust their attitude.

:pumpiron:

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

:angryfire I remember when that happened and people did die because of the chemo being watered down. OMG how can a person be so dispicable?

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.

What a shame.

How inhumane.

***************

Thanks, for the heads-up.

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I have a new hero:

Shortly into his imprisonment, the federal inmate petitioned for temporary release to attend the wedding of his daughter Valerie in Tiffany Springs, Mo. Courtney expressed his desire to be able to give his daughter away to her new husband ''in the traditional way.''

The judge, Robert E. Lorificen, denied the motion, noting dryly, ''Defendant would be unable to give his daughter away at her wedding while dressed in a prison jumpsuit and wearing leg chains and handcuffs.''

:bowingpur :bowingpur :bowingpur :bowingpur

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9502E2DA1230F93BA35755C0A9659C8B63&sec=health&spon=&pagewanted=1

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
Given that this is the trend of American businesses, how can you know that you are safe. The corporations are so powerful. If more people could just be educated about this kind of thing, and report suspicions, and be investigated like this guy was.

On the other hand, maybe it isn't so widespread. For example, doctors treat many patients and are smart enough to spot the signs of abuse. Ya think?

Doing it to give money to his church. Yes, a very twisted mind. I read a lot of mystery's, people are murdered, and you know it is just a story. But this takes the cake.

Or, let's say that this guy decided to be the judge and jury on who lives. If a person, for example was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, which is documented to have a high mortality rate is recommended for therapy. The pharmacist 'decides' that using the correct doses of chemotherapy would be a 'waste of time'. It could very well be that this person could have been destined to be one of the oddballs that may live an additional 5 years of quality life but was robbed of this because of this selfish, sick man. Scary...simply scary...

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pharmacists make very good money while being honest and doing their jobs

people like this are horrible

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Robert Courtney, the pharmacist and business owner who did this, is indeed in prison and will probably die there. What's REALLY despicable is that he did this to fulfill a huge pledge he made to his church!

Ah, not really. It was simply something he hoped would engender some sympathy and leniency from the court (and public opinion), being in the middle of the Bible Belt and all that... luckily he didn't fool anyone.

He drove a Mercedes and owned a mammoth house...

He proffered the keys to his ex-wife's Jaguar. He showered her young son with gifts. He took her out in a horse-drawn carriage. Two months into their courtship, the pharmacist presented her with a four-carat diamond ring...

He stated, ''As long as you're married to me, you'll drive a BMW.'' Courtney dispatched his bride to pick out a new house. But her choices, she says, were never sufficiently grand...

Two months before his arrest in August 2001, the pharmacist who in 1990 listed his gross income as $48,000 had amassed $18.7 million in total assets. During approximately the same time frame, Robert Courtney would, by law enforcement estimates, dilute 98,000 prescriptions for 4,200 patients.

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