Health Alert! Pharmacy machine prints labels that fade away

      

by Claudia

A new automated machine in use by thousands of pharmacies across the country uses labels that fade to blank even when kept away from the light.

The machine is made by Parata in NC. The model recently installed in my pharmacy is the Parata Max http://www.parata.com/fill/index.php . It fills prescriptions for the 200 most popular drugs automatically, and claims it makes no mistakes. All sounds ‘ok’, right?  Well this machine also requires users to buy supplies from them. And those supplies include thermal paper labels. 

If you’ve ever saved a thermal paper receipt, you know that they fade away to blank even if kept in a fairly dark place. See the possible danger to health and safety from prescription labels that fade to blank???? 

After this happened to my husband’s new prescription, I questioned the pharmacy manager. He acknowledged the problem and also told me our small town has a number of pharmacies who have also purchased this new machine. (He’s alerting them). 

Many drugs look alike. So how many hundreds of thousands of people are out there who may be taking over-dosages, or skipping important meds because they can’t read their labels? I can’t count on my large chain drugstore or Parata to fix this design flaw fast enough. I’m hoping you will help get the word out. 

Check your labels! If they smear or begin to fade, complain loud and clear. And demand that your pharmacy cover each label with a large piece of clear tape, which will keep them readable. Check the meds of your elders and nearest and dearest too!  Pass the word!

Even though this Parata machine may dispense the right pill in the right numbers, it’s the label that might kill you.