A 78-year-old Georgia woman says she was hospitalized after a pharmacy mistake allegedly resulted in her receiving fentanyl patches prescribed for another customer, leaving her unknowingly exposed to the powerful opioid for nearly three weeks.
Betty Thomas of Decatur, Georgia, told 11Alive that she believed the patches she received from a Publix pharmacy were part of her hormone treatment.
Instead, her family later discovered the medication was reportedly prescribed for another customer named Betty Davis.
Thomas said she became increasingly ill as the days went on, experiencing symptoms including vomiting, nausea, dizziness, and difficulty using the bathroom.
“I’m throwing up, I’m nauseous, I’m dizzy, I can’t go to the bathroom, I’m sick,” Thomas told 11Alive.
Her son eventually took her to the hospital, where the family said they learned she had received fentanyl patches that were not intended for her.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid used by doctors to treat severe pain, including pain associated with certain serious medical conditions.
Due to its strength, the medication requires careful prescribing, accurate dosing, and strict patient monitoring.
Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified it as a major contributor to fatal and nonfatal overdoses in the United States.
The agency says most recent fentanyl-related overdose cases are linked to illegally manufactured fentanyl, which is distributed through illegal drug markets.
Although prescription fentanyl can be used safely when taken exactly as directed by the intended patient, accidental exposure can create serious health risks, including extreme drowsiness, confusion, slowed breathing, and overdose, especially for people who do not have a prescription or opioid tolerance.
Thomas said she had no idea she was taking fentanyl until her family uncovered the alleged prescription mix-up.
The situation was especially frightening for the family because Thomas’ husband had recently died, leaving relatives concerned they could lose her as well.
“My children just lost their father, and then to turn around and have to go through losing their mom,” Thomas said.
Thomas’ granddaughter, Deanna Thomas, said the family has since been communicating with Publix’s corporate office about the alleged pharmacy error.
According to the family, Publix sent an email on July 7 offering Betty Thomas $4,000 to compensate her for the incident and help cover her medical expenses.
The family criticized the response, saying the offer did not adequately reflect the seriousness of what happened, 9News reported.
“It was straight up a slap in our face, and there was no remorse,” Deanna Thomas said. “It was, ‘You know, we’re giving you more than the $750 that’s standard.’”
It is unclear whether Thomas accepted the offer or whether the family plans to pursue additional legal action.
11Alive reported that it contacted Publix requesting a statement regarding the family’s allegations but had not received a response at the time of its report.
The incident has also drawn attention from civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who described the situation as “deeply troubling” in a Facebook post, according to News 4 Jax.
It is unclear whether Crump has formally become involved with the family’s case.
Thomas and her granddaughter said they have since turned the fentanyl patches over to police for proper disposal.
Betty Thomas said that she is continuing to recover but that regaining her health will take time following the alleged medication error.
The case has renewed attention on prescription verification procedures and medication safety measures designed to help prevent patients from receiving incorrect medications.
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