Consumer complaint received 2025-02-18 00:00:00
Product: Credit card — General-purpose credit card or charge card
Issue: Problem with a purchase shown on your statement — Credit card company isn't resolving a dispute about a purchase on your statement
Company: AMERICAN EXPRESS COMPANY
State: CA

Complaint narrative:
On XX/XX/XXXX I opened a dispute with American Express for XXXX charges on my account with SlimDownRx, a XXXX company providing consults and prescription medication if approved. The reason for the dispute was that the medication received was not as advertised. The pharmacy used by XXXX and XXXX XXXX XXXX was XXXX XXXX, located in the state of Florida. The prescription medication was for compounded XXXX. Upon learning that the Telehealth company was sending medication from an unlicensed pharmacy ( both not licensed to compound the medication nor licensed to send medication to the state of California ) I began a chargeback process and sent several documents from the Florida Department XXXX XXXX and responses from XXXX to American Express to aid in my dispute. The reason was for receiving a product that was not as described or counterfeit product. 

As XXXX XXXX, the pharmacy used by the XXXX company, did not hold, nor has ever held, a Special Sterile Compounding license, they were not allowed to provide the medication to patients. Not only this, but XXXX is not licensed to ship medication to my state of California. Despite knowing these XXXX facts, XXXX and my doctor there, XXXX XXXX XXXX, sent the medication to me from XXXX XXXX. I requested XXXX to refund the amounts paid for the medication and offered to return it as it had not been used or opened. However, XXXX only stated they were looking into the XXXX issues and to hold on to the medication. This was the final communication from XXXX I received. I began the chargeback process at this point. 

Disputed transactions : XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX - {$850.00} XX/XX/XXXXXXXX XXXX XXXX - {$2500.00} XXXX uploaded many documents from the Florida Department of Health, conversations between myself and XXXX, and explanations to American Express stating that because the medication was not compounded in a licensed facility that is required to hold a Special Sterile Compounding license to manufacture the medication, I requested the charge be reversed. XXXX also stated that much of the medication they sent was actually filled by other pharmacies, several of whom dispute these facts. Even if it was the case, XXXX XXXX applied only their label showing the medication came only from them. I contacted XXXX XXXX to find out which pharmacy my medication came from and gave them XXXX business days to respond. They have not responded. 

After several weeks, the merchant, XXXX responded to the dispute by stating that XXXX XXXX does hold a Special Sterile Compounding license and American Express said there is nothing they can do since I received the medication. 

The statement by XXXX about XXXX Pharmacy holding a Special Sterile Compounding license is verifiably false and can be disproven by simply looking up the pharmacy and viewing the license they hold on the Florida Department of Health website. I provided official documentation from the Florida Department of Health and a response from an employee at the Florida Department of Health stating they do not hold a license to produce the medication and that I should file a complaint. They currently only have a Community Pharmacy Schedule II and III license, which does not allow them to compound XXXX. A Special Sterile Compounding license is required to compound the medication as it is an injectable drug and is otherwise not safe to use. 

It was an agreement between myself and XXXX that the medication I received would be effective and safe to use during the XXXX shortage. I agreed to purchase the medication with this knowledge from the doctor. However, this was not the case and I was sent medication from a pharmacy that does not hold the licensure to safely compound the medication. I disputed my charges based on this information and the fact that XXXX refused to refund my payment despite also acknowledging the issue with XXXX XXXX. 

American Express has also acknowledged this same fact about XXXX, but again said " it does not matter where it came from or how it was made. You are still required to pay as you received a product you agreed to. '' I did not agree to receive unsafe medication. I did not agree to receive medication that is not allowed to be sent to my state. I agreed to receiving medication that was safely compounded and was 100 % safe to inject into my body without risking my health. As a patient, I am to trust my doctor when they prescribe medication. This has broken that trust and I was lied to about the medication. They are also not licensed in my state of California to ship the medication here, which I have confirmed with the California Department of Health. 
American Express has refused any help with the dispute and has sided with the merchant despite the merchant not providing any proof that the pharmacy they sent the medication from was able to compound the medication in a safe environment. 

American Express also will not accept any statements from the Department of Health stating that XXXX and XXXX do not hold a license to compound the medication or ship it to my state. I was never given an option about which pharmacy to receive the medication from. XXXX knowingly sent medication from an unlicensed pharmacy and it is a danger to my health if taken. American Express has refused to look into the dispute any further and states that they can not do anything since they are not a legal department and since I received medication I purchased, I have to pay with no recourse, even if it was counterfeit or made in a non-sterile environment.

Company response to consumer: Closed with monetary relief