CVS, we need to talk.
Recently, I went to one of your pharmacies to pick up a prescription. As I was checking out, the screen showed a message asking if I wanted to be notified via text message when it was time to refill the script. As I was about to click on the “OK” button, I noticed the second sentence and stopped – the message also said that I would be notified about future sales promotional items, and other offers from CVS “partners”.
I was not presented with a way to opt out – the only option I was presented with was the “OK’ button to proceed with the transaction.
It took me a second to realize what had happened – CVS had opted me in to this program without asking my permission, and that I would be getting promotional offers whether I wanted them or not.
I asked the pharmacy tech if I was understanding this situation correctly. He saw the look on my face and was apologetic while he confirmed I was correct. He then said there was no way for me to opt out here, and that he couldn’t opt me out either. He then printed out a notification and handed it to me, so I could opt out of the promotional offers via telephone:
CVS – this is so very, very bad on many different levels.
I am a patient and a customer. I should NEVER be forced to accept promotional offers via text, simply so I can be reminded that it’s time for me to refill a script.
I should not be forced to call a number in order to have myself removed from a promotional program.
CVS, your customers deserve better.
I deserve better.
You can do better.
Andy Green, Ph.D. 
Seems to be a general trend of pharmacies… I had an incident at a Walgreen’s a few years ago where I found a product on the shelf that had someone’s Rx info on it (name, address, phone, etc.). I brought it up to the front & the cashier said that because it was an over-the-counter drug, someone had returned it & so they had just stocked it back on the shelf. I pointed out that they were handing out PII and they just shrugged… didn’t make me comfortable about how they would protect my info in the future that’s for sure!
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