I just received my copaxone shipment. Normally the box is a blue box, that is sealed in a yellow plastic bag, and then the whole thing is tucked into another bag that includes at least one ice pack.

This time NO blue box. The syringes are single counts, and all the same lot number, but were tucked into a ziplock bag with the Rx label slapped on the outside, and the ice pack on the INside! You know what this means? yep, all the syringes are wet. The ice melted, and the packages got soaked. Now there is water on the INside of the sealed needle sleeves. the paperwork is wet, and this is just UNacceptable.

I called Caremark to say WTH? where is my PROPER packaging? Are these left overs, rejects? or extra stock? I am simply NOT willing to deal with this. So, I get a good old fashioned tirade rant for my BD. huff huff.

Has anyone else ever received their supplies OUT of the blue box, or have the blue box missing?

Do you always receive your blue box? This is my first change in Rx, and changes freak me out.

Should I call shared solutions?

I don't blame you for being mad. In the almost 10 years I was on Copaxone, that never happened to me. I think they need to definitely replace your whole shipment.

update...

I spoke to the pharmacy who IS replacing ALL syringes only because it was wet. the ice pack was included next to the zip lock bag which was UNsealed, and the water was allowed to seep into the bag. The Caremark folks say Shared solutions leaves it to their discretion if they wish to include the blue box or if they wish to remove the rows of syringes from the blue box. That they were not breaking protocol by removing them from the package prior to shipment. My syringes are all dog eared, and the outter two are OPEN, and unsealed because they got dog eared in the process of being shoved into the box without the protective blue box.

Called shared solutions to report this instruction, and they were shocked. They report that the blue box is provided as a source of protection, and identifying the copaxone medicine by lot number and exp date clearly printed on the outside of the box. They found this practice to be UNacceptable, and would be investigating if other pharmacies have been shipping out their product without the box.

If you have been receiving your syringes WITHOUT the blue box that is supposed to protect them, please call Shared Solutions, and report this. They want to hear from anyone else who is having this issue, and want to assure that its being addressed.

YIKES! Bet they didn't even consider that the "Cold" packs would take the temp of the Copaxone below the recommended minimum. I had several that were shipped with the "cold" pack right next to the box and the set of syringes on that side were so cold that the medicine would not move in the syringe until I warmed it up in my hand.

SS and the mail order pharmacy always told me that they couldn't get cold enough to freeze with those "cold" packs. Yet those shots were the ones that I always had IPIRs with.

Thankfully I don't have to worry so much with Betaseron.

Dejibo, sorry you have to hassle with them over it.

That has never happened to me. I think calling Shared Solutions was a great idea.

I did have an experience with UPS. The driver quit right in the middle of his shift (so to speak). My med was not delivered that day. Thought maybe I messed up on the delivery date. The next day, late in the afternoon, my meds were delivered in its normal packing but hot/warm with melted ice. I called UPS to make a complaint and then SS to get a new box.

Wow Dej! Thanks for the info. I have never received my injections that way. That is totally wrong! Glad you complained!

That would bother me too, especially since the syringes were sent in single counts ....that would immediately raise red flags to me. I have only recieved two deliveries of Copaxone so far, yet I expect to have consistent shipments each and every time.

Exactly! I expect ALL shipments to be THE SAME! dont send me single syringes, out of their box! WTF?! I was upset, and anxious over the whole thing. I explained that when you MUST inject yourself, and something changes in the meds, whether its the box, the color of the cap, or that they are wet, it FREAKS US OUT! Dont change anything. I got a big arguement about how they have the choice to send the box or not.

I told them that if they ever send me another shipment without the box, I will CANCEL my orders with them from then on. Dont mess with injectables.

I was not happy, and I am a loud mouth, and can be aggressive with folks that think they can take advantage of me. grrr...I bet she will remember me.

that's never happened to me and it would be unacceptable.
the box is also there to protect the med from light.

it sounds like the shipment might have been tampered with somehow.
i'm glad SS is cooperating.

I'm glad you called SS. I have never had that happen, and totally agree that it was an unacceptable way to ship the med.