16-Year-Old Boy Gets Prozac in Mail

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16-Year-Old Boy Gets Prozac in Mail

Fri Jul 19, 7:22 PM ET

By THERESA AGOVINO, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - A 16-year-old boy was among southern Florida residents who

received unsolicited samples of the antidepressant drug Prozac in the mail in a

much-criticized and highly unorthodox marketing campaign.

" I was livid, " said the boy's mother, Sue Grinstead of Palm Beach. " My son knew

enough not to take it, but what about the other kids? "

A spokesman for the Walgreen Co. drugstore chain, Polzin, confirmed the

family's account that a month's supply of Prozac was sent to 16-year-old

Grinstead. He said the boy's name was among others sent by a local doctors'

office to a Walgreen's in Palm Beach with instructions to send them the drug

samples.

" We apologize to the patients who received the drug, " Polzin said by telephone.

He said there were so many names on the doctors' list of intended recipients

that the pharmacy called to doctors' office to confirm the prescriptions before

sending them out.

The mailings already have prompted an invasion of privacy lawsuit by a

59-year-old woman who was among the recipients. Identified only by the initials

S.K., she sued Eli Lilly & Co, which makes the drug, Walgreen Co, which sent it,

and her doctors.

's family has retained the same lawyer, Farmer Jr., and plans to

file a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy and possible unauthorized practice

of medicine. Under Florida law, it is illegal to prescribe a drug to a minor

without consent of a parent or guardian.

The Florida Attorney General has already issued subpoenas to Eli Lilly, Walgreen

and S. K.'s doctors to determine if any state laws were broken. More could be

issued if warranted, said Newton, senior assistant attorney general in

Florida.

Eli Lilly has also apologized for the mailing, which it believes reached less

than 150 people. The Indianapolis-based drug giant said the campaign was not an

official promotion and it is trying to determine exactly who is responsible.

Several Eli Lilly employees in Florida have been suspended with pay, the company

said.

The mailings at first appeared to target people who were already taking an

antidepressant and who might then switch to Prozac. However, 's mother

said he had never been prescribed such a drug or even been treated for

depression.

The family had used a different pharmacy, an Eckerd store, not Walgreen's.

Farmer said the family is worried that 's name was passed along in a

customer list, but Eckard spokeswoman Tami Alderman said patient names are not

given to drug companies.

" We are still trying to get to the bottom of what is going on, " Farmer said.

" But it looks like drug companies are taking marketing to a whole new level. "

's mother said the Prozac was accompanied by a letter from a doctor who

is not their family's primary physician but works in the same doctors' group.

The letter suggested switching to Prozac.

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http://rd./alerts/email/news/*http://story.news./news?tmpl=sto\

ry & u=/ap/20020719/ap_on_he_me/prozac_mailings_1

16-Year-Old Boy Gets Prozac in Mail

Fri Jul 19, 7:22 PM ET

By THERESA AGOVINO, AP Business Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - A 16-year-old boy was among southern Florida residents who

received unsolicited samples of the antidepressant drug Prozac in the mail in a

much-criticized and highly unorthodox marketing campaign.

" I was livid, " said the boy's mother, Sue Grinstead of Palm Beach. " My son knew

enough not to take it, but what about the other kids? "

A spokesman for the Walgreen Co. drugstore chain, Polzin, confirmed the

family's account that a month's supply of Prozac was sent to 16-year-old

Grinstead. He said the boy's name was among others sent by a local doctors'

office to a Walgreen's in Palm Beach with instructions to send them the drug

samples.

" We apologize to the patients who received the drug, " Polzin said by telephone.

He said there were so many names on the doctors' list of intended recipients

that the pharmacy called to doctors' office to confirm the prescriptions before

sending them out.

The mailings already have prompted an invasion of privacy lawsuit by a

59-year-old woman who was among the recipients. Identified only by the initials

S.K., she sued Eli Lilly & Co, which makes the drug, Walgreen Co, which sent it,

and her doctors.

's family has retained the same lawyer, Farmer Jr., and plans to

file a lawsuit alleging invasion of privacy and possible unauthorized practice

of medicine. Under Florida law, it is illegal to prescribe a drug to a minor

without consent of a parent or guardian.

The Florida Attorney General has already issued subpoenas to Eli Lilly, Walgreen

and S. K.'s doctors to determine if any state laws were broken. More could be

issued if warranted, said Newton, senior assistant attorney general in

Florida.

Eli Lilly has also apologized for the mailing, which it believes reached less

than 150 people. The Indianapolis-based drug giant said the campaign was not an

official promotion and it is trying to determine exactly who is responsible.

Several Eli Lilly employees in Florida have been suspended with pay, the company

said.

The mailings at first appeared to target people who were already taking an

antidepressant and who might then switch to Prozac. However, 's mother

said he had never been prescribed such a drug or even been treated for

depression.

The family had used a different pharmacy, an Eckerd store, not Walgreen's.

Farmer said the family is worried that 's name was passed along in a

customer list, but Eckard spokeswoman Tami Alderman said patient names are not

given to drug companies.

" We are still trying to get to the bottom of what is going on, " Farmer said.

" But it looks like drug companies are taking marketing to a whole new level. "

's mother said the Prozac was accompanied by a letter from a doctor who

is not their family's primary physician but works in the same doctors' group.

The letter suggested switching to Prozac.