Dishonesty in Homeopathic Remedy Sales Leads to 12-Month Suspension for Pharmacist
Date of Decision: September 13, 2019
Registrant's Role: Pharmacist
Allegations:
- Dishonestly sold and attempted to sell homeopathic remedies (Mandragora) with falsely claimed preparation methods.
- Misled a customer by stating remedies were machine-produced using a Korsakovian method when they were not.
- Sent a dishonest email attributing the false claims to a non-existent "trusted colleague."
- Attempted to cover up earlier dishonesty through additional falsehoods.
Outcome: 12-month suspension
GPhC Standards Breached:
- Standard 1 – Make patients your first concern
- Standard 3 – Communicate effectively
- Standard 6 – Behave professionally
- Standard 9 – Demonstrate leadership
Case Summary
Allegations
The case concerned a pharmacist who engaged in dishonest conduct over a sustained period involving the sale and attempted sale of homeopathic remedies, specifically Mandragora, with ultra-high potencies. The registrant falsely informed a customer that these remedies were produced using a machine-based Korsakovian method, a process that was never employed. The dishonesty was compounded when the registrant attempted to explain away the misinformation by attributing it to a fictitious “trusted colleague” in an email to the customer dated 14 April 2015.
Between April 2013 and April 2015, the pharmacist supplied and attempted to supply Mandragora potencies ranging from 400M to 100MM, with total invoice values reaching approximately £15,000. The registrant’s actions misled the customer both about the nature of the products and the integrity of the production process.
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