Pharmacist Faces Prison Time for Tampering With Drugs

While it’s legal to use medications that are prescribed to you, using drugs that belong to someone else is a serious crime. If you are a pharmacist who is accused of taking drugs from patients, you could lose your professional license and face jail time.

This is the case for a pharmacist in Connecticut. The 43-year-old man was recently sentenced to four years and three months in prison after stealing and tampering with drugs. Once released, he will face three years of supervised release.

The man worked as a licensed pharmacist preparing IV infusions for home and hospice care. Between January and June 2019, the man accessed an area of his workplace and took vials of morphine sulfate pentahydrate and hydromorphone hydrochloride. These infusion drugs were intended for patient use. He withdrew the liquid from the vials of drugs. He then injected saline into the vials to make it appear as if the drugs were not taken. The pharmacist used crimping tools to reseal the vials and hide the fact that he was stealing medication. He would then return the vials to the secure area as if nothing happened.

Patients and their family members caught on when they discovered that the medicine was not working as intended. The family members testified in court and claimed that the drugs, which were intended for pain management during hospice care, did not do much to ease their family members’ pain. In December 2019, the pharmacist pled guilty to tampering with a consumer product. He was later released on a $100,000 bond. He has been ordered to report to prison on November 16.

It was discovered that the man stole drugs from a previous employer in 2003. At the time, he was working for a pharmacy that provided pharmaceuticals to long-term care facilities. He resigned from his position after he was charged with several offenses.

The pharmacist did not learn his lesson, however. In 2007, he was working as a clinical pharmacist when he was accused of writing his own prescriptions. He was arrested once again. His license was suspended for one year and he received two years of probation. Per the terms of his conviction, he lost his pharmacist license and was not allowed to apply for one again. However, he did not follow this order. He reapplied for  a license and was granted one. 

Keep Your License With Help From a Tampa Pharmacist License & Pharmacy Permit Lawyer

Pharmacists work with medications on a daily basis. They need to be ethical with their actions. Stealing or tampering with drugs can lead to serious penalties and even license loss. It can also cause injury, harm and even death to patients who rely on specific dosages of drugs.

Tampa pharmacist license & pharmacy permit lawyer David P. Rankin can help you with administrative actions you may face with your pharmacist license. He has 30 years of experience handling these types of disputes. Schedule a consultation by calling (813) 968-6633 or filling out the online form.

Resource:

patch.com/connecticut/hartford/ct-pharmacist-sentenced-drug-tampering-case-feds

https://www.davidrankinlaw.com/florida-pharmacy-worker-stole-drugs-so-cousin-wouldnt-rob-the-store/