CVS Pharmacy has recently contacted about 50 families to warn them the breast cancer drug tamoxifen may have recently been mixed with fluoride tablets for children filled at the Main Street location in Chatham.
Dr. Elsie Estrada of Chatham Pediatrics said she learned the news from a patient, and cautioned other patients to "check what you get. ... I got scared because I want them to be aware of what you are giving your children when it comes from the pharmacy," she said.
According to Estrada, none of her patients reported finding tamoxifen among their children's fluoride tablets.
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Dr. Jennifer Shaw of was unavailable for comment, but the office did release a statement on their website. The statement reads, in part, "there have been no reports of harm to children who were given this medicine."
The statement also urges patients who filled a prescription for fluoride tablets at CVS Pharmacy to check their pills.
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Fluoride pills have the letters "SCI" stamped on one side and the numbers "1007" stamped on the reverse side. Tamoxifen pills have the letter "M" stamped on one side and the numbers "274" on the reverse.
Both pills are round, white and about the same size.
A spokesman from CVS, Michael DeAngelis, said the company contacted all patients who filled their fluoride prescriptions in the 60 days before Feb. 20. When asked how many patients were affected and how many tamoxifen pills were recovered, DeAngelis said he could not comment "due to the ongoing nature of the investigation."
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