ComplaintsforWestern Mass Compounding Center

• Initial Complaint

  06/11/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  05/06/2024 I purchased a compounded steroid mouth rinse per my dr. I spoke with the compounder pharmacist and explained that my condition is for a tongue inflammation from a chemical exposure in my mouth and that I have difficulty eating salty and spicy foods due to this issue - they said they can make the medicine without flavor and that it will just have a little sweetner in it. I found out that half of the suspension liquid the medicine was in contained 50 percent of this sweetner - significantly higher than what I was told would be in the just a little - when I called to tell them it was overwhelmingly sweet and stinging my mouth they suggested I water it down and sip it - the steroid then got in my lips and now I have a reaction with the medicine with dry scaly lips and a film that will not go away. They should not encourage people to get steroid on lips it wasnt meant for that reason.

  Business response

  06/26/2024

  06/26/24

  Dear Better Business Bureau,

  Thank you for the notice.  We had attempted to work with **** to find resolution to her complaints about her burning tongue and the level of sweetness in her compound. We did make her initial compound without sugar or flavor, at her request, and used a sugar substitute.  In our 9 years of pharmacy experience we had yet to receive a single complaint about the level of sweetness in our sugar-free formulas and we did not have reason to believe that the medication would be too sweet for her.  We worked with the provider to formulate a separate prescription without sweetener once it was known to us that sweetener was a problem for her but she did not opt to purchase the new prescription without sweetener.  We explained in a phone conversation with her (one of several) that, as with any medical good or service, all medications carry a risk of adverse effects.  We were sorry that she experienced the tongue discomfort but we would not be able to issue a refund for the product as we had made all reasonable attempts prior to dispensing to make the medication in accordance with the doctor's ***** and her requests for a sugar-free, flavor-free preparation.  As for our suggestion that she dilute the prescription and drink it from a cup and the resulting residue on her lips, we can think of no other way to take an oral medication but by placing in on the lips.  Any residual on the lips can easily be wiped away with a napkin or paper towel, as with food or any other medication, without effect.     

   

  *************************, PharmD

  Western Mass Compounding Center
  

  Customer response

  06/27/2024

   
  Complaint: 21830139
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  you should not have told me to get it on my lips after diluting it - and sip it from a cup when you gave me an applicator to get it on my mouth - that is the other way to get it in my mouth - you say there is no other way? it has caused a lot of problems for my lips - almost 4 weeks now and no resolution -  if you did not have me put it on my lips and sip it that I woukd not have this problem cause it got on my tongue and Im not having the same issue there - your medicine also turned the roof of my mouth orange . It is not true in this case that if one got it on the lips that it could be wiped away easily - I was given no instruction to wipe or wash my lips after sipping it - perhaps if you did give me that instruction this could have been avoided.  My complaint is about your neglect on providing the safest instructions - it is well known that topical steroids can affect delicate lip tissue 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

  Business response

  07/15/2024

  Dear **************************,

  We are sorry to hear that you have experienced the side effect you describe.  The lip scaliness is not a likely side effect listed in the major drug indexes.  Although this does not mean that the medication did not cause the side effect, the underlying condition your doctor is treating may be a more likely cause.  The medication we dispensed is listed as "low-medium" potency in the medical literature (5th most potent of 7 categories).  As mentioned previously, all medical interventions carry the risk of unknown side-effects.  As this particular side-effect,  experienced after the pharmacist suggested diluting it (below the low-medium potency), could not have been anticipated, and the vast majority of the medication was to remain in the mouth and not on the lips, and the medication was made following the reasonable but broad instructions of the doctor, we do not believe a refund is warranted.  As we demonstrated in our multiple calls with you and the 3 formulas we created to treat your unique need (you only opted to fill 1), we would have been happy to find another compound for your condition provided our staff was appropriately compensated for their additional time and effort.
  

   

  ****

  Customer response

  07/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21830139
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

  as I stated earlier your instructions to sip this proved to be very problematic to my lips and mucosa - especially given that there was an applicator enclosed and instructions provided that were co trary ti the verbal advice your team provided 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  *******************************

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