Melissa Jarquin

Today I went to Post Haste Pharmacy, “your trusted neighborhood pharmacy for over 35 years” to get ant-acids to help relieve the nightmare of heartburn symptoms that I have been experiencing from pregnancy. Last night I learned that Maalox was not safe to take while pregnant as it contains aluminum and bismuth subsalicylate, which have adverse affects on an animal fetus. I looked at a few bottles of ant-acids and it was not clear to me which active ingredients were pregnancy safe so I asked the gentleman at the counter (Steve) for his help. He was very nice and helped me look though the various brands available. When he saw that one of the “all natural” ant-acids said it was not pregnancy safe on the package he went to ask the Pharmacist for more expert advise. Steve asked the Pharmacist ( Robert (Bob) Fishman ) and Bob laughed at him. Bob said, “any ant-acid that is safe to take when you’re not pregnant is safe to take when you are pregnant.” Steve shared the information about how Maalox is not safe and then Robert Fishman repeated himself and said, “Any ant-acid is okay to take. Tums. Rolaids. Maalox.” Robert Fishman asked Steve if I was pregnant now and Steve said that I was. What Robert said next was as far out of line as one could possibly be. Robert said “If she has a miscarriage then she should call her Doctor.”

Even if he thought I was not in audible reach, why would someone say something like that? I’m a big believer of everyone being entitled to their own opinions, however as a professional Pharmacist this surely violates several ethic codes and possibly even his license. I spoke to the pharmacy supervisor who was very nice and helpful with the situation. I even received a phone call and voice mail from Fishman himself saying that he was talking to another pharmacist and was not talking about me to her. Fishman referred to the pharmacist as a “she” however, he was not speaking to a female or pharmacist (nor facing a female) when he said this. If he was then Steve might have a bit of explaining to do! I think he may have fabricated a tale for the supervisor and myself so as to remove himself from any negative aspects of the situation.

The best part was that he concluded his voice message with, “We can’t recommend medicines or ant-acids for pregnant women.” Robert Fishman is the director of Medication Therapy Management Inc., founder of Post Haste Pharmacy, has The Robert Fishman Institute which “trains physicians, pharmacists, nurse practitioners, and scientists from all over the country”, graduated from Colombia University, was a past president of the Florida Pharmacy Association, has a P.H.D., is a Registered Pharmacist, and C.C.N. (Certified Clinical Nutritionist). It’s a little scary that someone of his status does not have the confidence to recommend any medicines or ant-acids for a pregnant woman. I would think someone of his prestige and background know that aluminum and bismuth subsalicylate are not pregnancy safe ingredients, or at least recommend that I call my Doctor prior to having a miscarriage.

Trackback URL

Ant-acids, Post Haste Pharmacy, Pregnancy, Robert Fishman