Don't kid me, I know you're a pharmacy
March 30, 2010 10:42 AM Subscribe
Why would a new CVS have to keep only the word "pharmacy" covered during construction?
This has been driving me batshit crazy for weeks and I just have to know. A new CVS (a convenience store and pharmacy similar to Walgreens) is being built down the street from me. As soon as the signage went up, the word "pharmacy" was covered in white sheeting, though all of the other wording on the building and roadside signs are exposed.
I assume this has something to do with some sort of laws or licensing, but I can't figure out what purpose it serves. Enlighten me, MeFites, before I lose my mind.
This has been driving me batshit crazy for weeks and I just have to know. A new CVS (a convenience store and pharmacy similar to Walgreens) is being built down the street from me. As soon as the signage went up, the word "pharmacy" was covered in white sheeting, though all of the other wording on the building and roadside signs are exposed.
I assume this has something to do with some sort of laws or licensing, but I can't figure out what purpose it serves. Enlighten me, MeFites, before I lose my mind.
Location might narrow this down but maybe a law against pharmacies advertising? With no actual pharmacy doing business within a sign saying CVS Pharmacy on a building isn't any different than a billboard proclaiming the same.
posted by Mitheral at 10:45 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by Mitheral at 10:45 AM on March 30, 2010
Perhaps they are planning on opening up the CVS before the pharmacy portion is complete and don't want people to angrily come in, clutching scripts and storming out without picking up at candybar and Snuggie for Dogs.
posted by banannafish at 10:47 AM on March 30, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by banannafish at 10:47 AM on March 30, 2010 [4 favorites]
I've seen that many times on other pharmacies under construction and always wondered as well. I don't think it's just that particular store. I always figured it was a licensing thing, too.
posted by otherwordlyglow at 10:51 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by otherwordlyglow at 10:51 AM on March 30, 2010
Just a guess, but it looks like there are minimal standards for pharmacy facilities which may, in this case, still be under construction. There is also a rule about labeling a place a 'pharmacy' that is not licensed - so I assume that they have to have their facilities inspected before they can legally advertise it as a pharmacy.
posted by nightwood at 11:00 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by nightwood at 11:00 AM on March 30, 2010
I suspect (with no actual knowledge) that since a pharmacy has to be able to perform certain medical duties it is required by law to be able to perform those duties so the person who is about to die unless they get insulin won't go to that CVS - they'll go up the street to the Walgreens.
I bet under construction hospitals are treated similarly.
posted by dirtdirt at 11:00 AM on March 30, 2010
I bet under construction hospitals are treated similarly.
posted by dirtdirt at 11:00 AM on March 30, 2010
Best answer: From here:
According to the CVS Director of Real Estate for this region, as relayed to us here at Wormtowntaxi by Gary Rosen at the beginning of October, "I asked her why the word "Pharmacy" is covered on the new store. She said that laws provide that a pharmacy can't be advertised at any new store until the MA Board of Pharmacy has officially licensed a pharmacy to operate at that location. That won't happen until much closer to the grand opening in January."
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:02 AM on March 30, 2010 [4 favorites]
According to the CVS Director of Real Estate for this region, as relayed to us here at Wormtowntaxi by Gary Rosen at the beginning of October, "I asked her why the word "Pharmacy" is covered on the new store. She said that laws provide that a pharmacy can't be advertised at any new store until the MA Board of Pharmacy has officially licensed a pharmacy to operate at that location. That won't happen until much closer to the grand opening in January."
posted by EndsOfInvention at 11:02 AM on March 30, 2010 [4 favorites]
Thanks for asking this question - I pass an almost-completed Walgreens with the same issue every day.
posted by mikepop at 11:12 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by mikepop at 11:12 AM on March 30, 2010
Response by poster: Thank you so much! Now I can resume my normal life again! :)
posted by _Mona_ at 11:35 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by _Mona_ at 11:35 AM on March 30, 2010
Surely simply labeling the building as a CVS is "advertising it as a pharmacy" since that's what CVS is. I would imagine that this is more a CYA move on their part (advised by their lawyers) than an actual legal requirement.
posted by kindall at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by kindall at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2010
Best answer: It's illegal to use "pharmacy", "apothecary", the Rx symbol, or any other wording that would indicate it is a pharmacy on a place that's not a pharmacy. To be a pharmacy, it must have a pharmacy license. Each location must be licensed individually--it's not general to, say, CVS. There are specific requirements for the facility, e.g., running water, maintenance of room temperature within a certain range, that must be met to be licensed, so they can't be licensed until construction is relatively near completion. This is state law, so there may be variation, but true everywhere I'm familiar with the law. I'm a pharmacist.
posted by little e at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2010 [8 favorites]
posted by little e at 11:40 AM on March 30, 2010 [8 favorites]
Kindall nope. CVS is not a pharmacy. CVS is a drugstore chain in which most storefronts have a licensed pharmacy.
posted by jlkr at 11:48 AM on March 30, 2010
posted by jlkr at 11:48 AM on March 30, 2010
Actually, there are a few CVSs that don't have pharmacies--in DC I've noticed their signs say either "CVS/drugs" or just "CVS" to distinguish.
Related trivia: best I can tell, the name of DC's Pharmacy Bar violates this law. Non-English counts, too--the use of "farmacia" in California "marijuana farmacias" is illegal, but my understanding is that it's being politely overlooked.
posted by little e at 11:56 AM on March 30, 2010
Related trivia: best I can tell, the name of DC's Pharmacy Bar violates this law. Non-English counts, too--the use of "farmacia" in California "marijuana farmacias" is illegal, but my understanding is that it's being politely overlooked.
posted by little e at 11:56 AM on March 30, 2010
is this also why some of the stores around here have "department within" in little tiny letters underneath "PHARMACY"?
posted by Lucinda at 12:32 PM on March 30, 2010
posted by Lucinda at 12:32 PM on March 30, 2010
I'm in VT, and FWIW, the same thing happens here.
posted by papayaninja at 12:53 PM on March 30, 2010
posted by papayaninja at 12:53 PM on March 30, 2010
elated trivia: best I can tell, the name of DC's Pharmacy Bar violates this law. Non-English counts, too--the use of "farmacia" in California "marijuana farmacias" is illegal, but my understanding is that it's being politely overlooked.
Odd. Here in Philly we have a Farmacia (restaurant), an Rx (restaurant), and an Apothecary (bar).
posted by desuetude at 1:43 PM on March 30, 2010
Odd. Here in Philly we have a Farmacia (restaurant), an Rx (restaurant), and an Apothecary (bar).
posted by desuetude at 1:43 PM on March 30, 2010
Lucinda: I believe that is a requirement in New York State -- that's the only place I've ever seen that wording.
posted by Gridlock Joe at 6:23 PM on March 30, 2010
posted by Gridlock Joe at 6:23 PM on March 30, 2010
is this also why some of the stores around here have "department within" in little tiny letters underneath "PHARMACY"?
I have never actually seen this, but in the states with whose law I'm familiar, the pharmacy license/permit (some states use one term, some the other) does not necessarily include the entire retail space. For example, in a CVS, legally the "pharmacy" is only the area behind the counter and maybe some attached storage space. Without a pharmacist present, the pharmacy can't be open, must be physically secure, and in general, nobody can be in it (Not even to clean at night or anything. There are limited exceptions--e.g., the techs can stay there and the window can stay open if, say, the pharmacist goes to the restroom, but not if the pharmacist leaves the building to get lunch.) This way the rest of the store can remain open when the pharmacy itself is not. Cf. smaller independent pharmacies--if the whole store closes at 6 pm anyway, then the entire space may be included in the pharmacy permit.
New York's law, after a quick glance, is more explicit in this--it uses the terminology of a "pharmacy department" operating within a department store. I imagine that's why the sign is worded like that.
Here in Philly we have a Farmacia (restaurant), an Rx (restaurant), and an Apothecary (bar).
I know basically nothing about PA law, but my impression elsewhere is that the Board of Pharmacy may or may not bother if it's *obviously* not an actual pharmacy. They would enforce it if, say, a permit holder failed to renew but continued operating or some other sketchass situation.
posted by little e at 9:08 PM on March 30, 2010
I have never actually seen this, but in the states with whose law I'm familiar, the pharmacy license/permit (some states use one term, some the other) does not necessarily include the entire retail space. For example, in a CVS, legally the "pharmacy" is only the area behind the counter and maybe some attached storage space. Without a pharmacist present, the pharmacy can't be open, must be physically secure, and in general, nobody can be in it (Not even to clean at night or anything. There are limited exceptions--e.g., the techs can stay there and the window can stay open if, say, the pharmacist goes to the restroom, but not if the pharmacist leaves the building to get lunch.) This way the rest of the store can remain open when the pharmacy itself is not. Cf. smaller independent pharmacies--if the whole store closes at 6 pm anyway, then the entire space may be included in the pharmacy permit.
New York's law, after a quick glance, is more explicit in this--it uses the terminology of a "pharmacy department" operating within a department store. I imagine that's why the sign is worded like that.
Here in Philly we have a Farmacia (restaurant), an Rx (restaurant), and an Apothecary (bar).
I know basically nothing about PA law, but my impression elsewhere is that the Board of Pharmacy may or may not bother if it's *obviously* not an actual pharmacy. They would enforce it if, say, a permit holder failed to renew but continued operating or some other sketchass situation.
posted by little e at 9:08 PM on March 30, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
Seems more likely to me that part of the sign cover got blown down, and no one's bothered to take the rest of it down yet. I'm a lawyer, and I can't think of any possible regulation which would produce a deliberate result like this.
posted by valkyryn at 10:44 AM on March 30, 2010