Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic / PetMed Express

PetMed Express

PetMed Express, also know as 1-800-PetMeds, also known as Savmax Pharmacy, has rapidly become a major player in the pet medication market. They feature classy advertisements on the major cable channels and a website, all offering low prices and the "exact same" medicines thet you get at your vet's office. But there is some drama involving PetMed Express that the smiling people in the commercials don't tell you about. I think it is worth knowing who you are doing business with.

I spent less than one hour on the internet Googling things like "PetMed discipline" and "PetMed lawsuit" and came up with the following. There may or may not be more. I think the facts speak for themselves.

July 1999: PetMed Express (PME) receives a warning from the FDA regarding illegal dispensing practices.
20 September 1999: PME disciplined by the Florida Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $32,500, had to pay $7,700 in fees, given 2.5 years probation.
8 February 2000: PME disciplined by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $3,000.
21 February 2000: PME disciplined by the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $3,000,  given 2 years probation.
21 March 2000: PME disciplined by the Missouri Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices,  given 2 years probation.
23 January 2002: PME disciplined by the Envirnmental Protection Agency for illegal dispensing practices, fined $100,000.   PME simultaneously settled a 2001 lawsuit for trademark infringement and false advertising brought by Novartis, the manufacturer of Interceptor and Sentinel.
2002: The Missouri Board of Pharmacy obtains a temporary restraining order against PME for ignoring the restrictions put in place as part of the 21 March 2000 disciplinary action.
20 February 2002: PME disciplined for the second time by the Alabama Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $8,000,  given 5 years probation.
12 March 2002: PME disciplined for the second time by the Florida Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $68,000,  given 3 years probation.
9 May 2002: PME disciplined by the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $10,000,  ordered to pay $1,800 in fees, given 5 years probation.
13 May 2002: PME disciplined by the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices,  given 2 years probation.
September 2002: PME disciplined for the second time by the New Mexico Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $5,900.
7 June 2002: PME disciplined by the Ohio Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $35,000,  given 3 years probation.
20 April 2004: PME disciplined for the third time by the Missouri Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices,  given 3 years probation.
2004: Six class-action lawsuits are filed by shareholders against PME alledging fraud as insiders reaper $65 million in profits while the company's stock price plummeted.
21 July 2005: PME disciplined by the Nevada Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, formal reprimand.
14 March 2005: PME disciplined by the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, mail license suspended,  given 3 years probation.
17 November 2005: PME disciplined by the Hawaii Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $1,500,  given 2 years probation.
8 May 2006: PME disciplined for the second time by the Nebraska Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, probation.
17 May 2006: PME disciplined by the Vermont Board of Pharmacy for illegal dispensing practices, fined $1,500,  given 2 years probation.
September 2006: PME disciplined by the Texas Board of Pharmacy, fined $50,000, had to pay $9,000 in fees, given 4 years probation.

The Tally:
Disciplined at least 22 times by 13 different states and two government agencies.

Punitive Fines of over $600,000.
Probation totalling 36 1/2 years.

Last Offense: September 2006.

Would it surprise you to know that PetMed Express's claim that they sell medications "a lot cheaper than at the vet's" is false? Click here to see if these claims are true.
It is the policy of Sunnyside Veterinary Clinic that when dealing with internet pharmacies, we will not authorize prescriptions by phone or fax. We will only provide a written prescription to you, our client, and you may do with it what you will.