North Carolina News: Item 2166 - Technician Diversion and Pharmacist Manager Responsibility

July 1, 2008 3:41 pm Topics: Pharmacy technicians

Reprinted from the July 2008 North Carolina Board of Pharmacy Newsletter.

Board staff continues to receive and investigate numerous complaints involving the diversion of controlled substances by technicians. In some cases, the sheer number of controlled substance dosage units diverted is staggering.

Pharmacist managers are reminded that they are the “person who accepts responsibility for the operation of a pharmacy in conformance with all statutes and regulations pertinent to the practice of pharmacy and distribution of drugs by signing the permit application, its renewal or addenda thereto.” 21 NCAC 46.1317(25). Among those responsibilities is adequate security of the pharmacy. In cases where the pharmacist manager knew, or reasonably should have known, of technician diversion, but took inadequate steps to discover the source of the theft and/or halt further theft, the pharmacist manager’s license is subject to discipline.
Likewise, Board staff again reminds pharmacist managers of their responsibility to ensure that technicians are registered with the Board. Often an investigation into technician diversion reveals that the responsible technicians were not registered. Employing unregistered technicians is a separate ground for discipline of a pharmacist manager’s license.