People Having Trouble Getting Prescriptions Due To Pharmacy Closures During Unrest

Stephanie Stahl reports.

THEN ANOTHER SUSPECT LIT THEEXPLOSIVE DEVICE.THERE HAVE BEEN DOZENS OFSIMILAR ATM EXPLOSIONS LAST FEWDAYS.MORE FALL-OUT FROM THEUNREST, MANY ARE HAVING TROUBLEGETTING PRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONSBECAUSE PHARMACIES ARE CLOSED.IT CONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM INSOME NEIGHBORHOODS ALL AROUNDPHILADELPHIA.HELEN REPORTER STEFANIE STAHL ISHERE WITH NEW VICE FROM THEHELEN COMMISSIONER.UKEE, PHARMACIES DAMAGED BYLOOTERS CLOSED EARLIER THISWEEK.CAUSING PROBLEMS FOR SOME PEOPLEWHO NEED TO GET THEIRPRESCRIPTIONS REFILLED.THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAID ITMIGHT NOT BE EASY BUT THEYSHOULD BE GET THE DRUGS.SURVEILLANCE VIDEOS SHOWSLOOTERS GRABBING PRESCRIPTIONDRUGS.LEFT MANY STORES BOARDED UP LIKETHIS TARGET AT 27 AND ANDCALLOWHILL AND A SHOP RITE INWEST PHILLY.WHERE ANGRY NEIGHBORS CONFRONTEDTHE MAYOR ABOUT SAFETY CONCERNS.SOME ARE REOPENING, MANYPHARMACIES RECALL CLOSED AROUNDTHE RESULT IS SOME PEOPLE AREHAVING TROUBLE GETTING THEIRPRESCRIPTION MEDICATIONS.THE FIRST PLACE YOU SHOULDGO, IF YOUR REGULAR PHARMACY ISCLOSED IS TO ANOTHER STORE INTHE SAME CHAIN.THE HEALTH COMMISSIONER SAIDIF THAT DOESN'T WORK, GETTING APRESCRIPTION FILLED OUTSIDE YOURCHAIN MIGHT BE MORE DIFFICULT.BUT THE PENNSYLVANIA PHARMACYACT DOES ALLOW PHARMACIES TOTRANSFER PRESCRIPTIONS.A LAST RESORT WOULD BE TO GET ANEW PRESCRIPTION FROM YOURDOCTOR.I KNOW IT WILL BEINCONVENIENT, PEOPLE CAN GETTHEM STILL.THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT HAS ALIST OF OPEN PHARMACIES ON ITSWEBSITE AND SOME ARE OFFERINGFREE DELIVERIES.AND CVS SAYS 400 PHARMACIES IN25 STATES WERE DAMAGED BYPROTESTS.CURRENTLY IN PHILADELPHIA, 11LOCATIONS REMAIN CLOSED.