Pharmacist Removed from Register Following Conviction for Unlawful Supply of Controlled Drug

Date of Decision: May 25, 2022

Registrant's Role: Pharmacist

Allegations:

Possessing a medicinal product for wholesale distribution without a license (contrary to The Human Medicines Regulations 2012).
Supplying a controlled drug (Class C) to another person (contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971).

Outcome: Removal from the register plus interim suspension

GPhC Standards Breached:

Standard 1: Provide person-centred care
Standard 2: Work in partnership with others
Standard 3: Communicate effectively
Standard 5: Use professional judgment
Standard 6: Behave in a professional manner
Standard 9: Demonstrate leadership

Case Summary

A pharmacist was found guilty of illegally supplying Zolpidem, a Class C controlled drug, outside the regulated supply chain. The registrant, alongside a business partner, was involved in unlawfully wholesaling large quantities of the medication, primarily through their pharmacy business, without the required MHRA license.

Following an investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), both individuals were convicted of:

Possessing a medicinal product for wholesale distribution without a valid license.
Supplying a controlled drug to another person in breach of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

The pharmacist pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 27 months’ imprisonment for the offence of supplying a controlled drug.

Findings of the Committee

The GPhC Fitness to Practise Committee found that:

The registrant failed to act with integrity and prioritised financial gain over patient safety.
The unlawful supply of controlled drugs outside the legal framework posed a significant risk to public health and safety.
The pharmacist was aware of the legal requirements but proceeded with illegal distribution nonetheless.
The registrant initially misled investigators, sought to cast suspicion on an innocent party, and destroyed invoices to conceal the illegal supply.

The committee determined that the pharmacist’s fitness to practise was impaired and that removal from the register was the only appropriate sanction given the seriousness of the offences.

Sanction

The pharmacist was removed from the register due to the serious nature of the offences, which were deemed fundamentally incompatible with membership of the profession. The committee imposed an immediate suspension to prevent the registrant from practising while the appeal window remained open.

Learning Points for Pharmacists

This case highlights several key lessons for pharmacy professionals:

Legal Compliance: Pharmacists must fully understand and adhere to all legal requirements related to controlled drugs and wholesale distribution.
Professional Judgment: Business and financial pressures must never compromise ethical or legal obligations.
Record-Keeping and Transparency: Attempting to alter records, misrepresent facts, or destroy documentation can significantly worsen regulatory and legal consequences.
Patient Safety & Public Trust: Pharmacists hold a trusted position and must uphold the integrity of the profession by ensuring medicines remain in the regulated supply chain.

Conclusion

This case serves as a stark warning about the severe consequences of illegally supplying medicines outside the approved framework. The GPhC’s zero-tolerance approach to such misconduct underscores the importance of compliance, integrity, and patient safety in pharmacy practice.

Original Case Document

The full determination transcript is available to logged in users.