Lawsuit: CVS Told Wife About Viagra, Harmed Marriage

A Long Island man is suing CVS after, he says, the drugstore alerted his wife to his Viagra prescription, according to a lawsuit filed in Nassau County Supreme Court. Michael Feinberg brought a prescription for eight of the little blue pills with five refills to CVS and asked that his insurance company not be billed for the purchase, explaining that he preferred to pay himself, reports the New York Post. His lawsuit alleges that when his wife called a few days later to inquire about one of her own prescriptions, a CVS employee identified as “Aurula” mentioned the Viagra prescription, pointing out that it was not being covered by insurance.

The disclosure, according to Feinberg, has caused “severe mental anguish, pain and suffering," per Patch, as well as damage to his marriage, although court documents don’t explain what exactly happened between the couple. Feinberg’s suit accuses the pharmacy chain of violating his privacy rights under HIPAA, a federal law that prohibits disclosure of confidential health care information without the patient’s permission. He is seeking unspecified damages for emotional harm. In a statement to the Huffington Post, a CVS rep says the company places "the highest priority on protecting the privacy of those we serve." (Hiding Viagra prescriptions from spouses isn't a problem for Brits.)