Nevada News: The Pharmacist-In-Charge

April 1, 2007 11:05 AM Topics: Pharmacist in charge

Reprinted from the April 2007 Nevada State Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

One of the many responsibilities of the managing pharmacist is to ensure the security of the drug inventory –  especially the controlled drug inventory. The Board office has become aware of some interesting situations across the country that indicate the need for better vigilance on the part of the managing pharmacist:
 There was a report of a computer maintenance repairman who, while “repairing and maintaining” the computer, was stealing hydrocodone.
 There have been reports of inventory crews stealing controlled substances while conducting routine inventory.
 A “reverse distributor” company has been implicated in drug diversion while processing returns for a pharmacy.
 A high school student who was “shadowing” a pharmacist to learn more about the profession was found to be connected to drug theft.
 The Board has prosecuted several cases this past year involving staff pharmacists removing, for personal use, narcotics from either Pyxis machines or the narcotic cabinet through sophisticated diversion schemes.

The pharmacist-in-charge simply can never weaken his or her vigilance.