Exclusive: Expired Medicine Found At Over A Dozen Veterinarian Clinics
BOSTON (CBS) - Could the medicine you buy from your veterinarian do more harm than good?
State inspectors found expired medicine in more than a dozen clinics. For some of the clinics, this was not their first violation.
Barbara Anthony, Under Secretary of Consumer Affairs, is upset.
Her job is to look out for consumers in Massachusetts, and this includes their pets.
WBZ-TV's Karen Anderson reports
Her state inspectors went out to check veterinarian offices, and found 20% of the locations they visited had expired medications. One also wasn't storing its drugs properly.
She says, "I felt this is a dangerous situation. We want to make sure veterinary practices throughout the state are doing what they are supposed to do for storing medications and to make sure expired medications are not being administered to someone's pet."
Seekonk Veterinary Hospital in Great Barrington was cited for a third violation of expired meds. Swan Corner Animal Hospital in Tyngsborough and Hillside Veterinary Clinic in Auburn were cited for a second violation.
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Veterinarians say drugs that have expired are not as effective as other drugs.
The owner of Seekonk Veterinary Hospital Ronald Majdalany says, "They just found one or two items that were slightly expired. I do my best to keep on top of it."
The owner of Swan Corner Animal Hospital says he has been dealing with his own health problems, and they have made systematic changes.
Anthony says they will be staying vigilant, and doing more tests. "I'm glad we did this so we can help correct the market in this instance."
Full list of violations:
- Hillside Veterinary Clinic – Auburn - 2nd Violation: Expired Meds - $500
- Brewster Veterinary Hospital – Brewster - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Sturbridge Veterinary Hospital - Charlton - 1st Violation: Unsecured and Expired Meds - $200
- Countryside Veterinary Hospital – Chelmsford - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Dennis Veterinary Hospital – Dennis - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Sandwich Animal Hospital – East Sandwich - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Seekonk Veterinary Hospital – Great Barrington - 3rd Violation: Expired Meds - $1,000
- Lexington-Bedford Veterinary Hospital – Lexington - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Leach Animal Hospital – Mashpee - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Canton Veterinary Hospital – Milton - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- VCA Palmer Animal Hospital – Palmer - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Cat Clinic of Plymouth – Plymouth - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
- Compassionate Care Veterinary Center – Randolph - 1st Violation: Expired Meds - $100
