Struthers man sues Rite Aid, pharmacist

YOUNGSTOWN — A Struthers man has sued the Rite Aid pharmacy chain, alleging that an unidentified pharmacist at its store at 4914 Youngstown-Poland Road dispensed the wrong prescription medicine.

Instead of dispensing Acyclovir, which his doctor prescribed for treatment of his shingles, the plaintiff, John Haas of East Parkcliff Avenue, said in his lawsuit the pharmacist negligently gave him the painkiller, Vicodin, in a bottle labeled as Acyclovir on April 16, 2007.

After ingesting the Vicodin, Haas said he suffered unspecified injuries, had to seek medical care and incurred financial obligations.

The suit, which seeks more than $25,000 in damages, was filed this week in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court and assigned to Judge Maureen A Sweeney. A spokeswoman at the chain’s Camp Hill, Pa., headquarters, said company policy is not to comment on pending lawsuits.