Pharmacist’s Indefinite Suspension for Conviction of Supplying Controlled Drugs

In a recent determination by the General Pharmaceutical Council’s Fitness to Practise Committee, a pharmacist was indefinitely suspended following a conviction for supplying and possessing controlled drugs. The registrant, who was the director of a company operating three community pharmacies, was found guilty of supplying large quantities of Class C controlled drugs without a valid Home Office license. This misconduct took place between July 2015 and September 2016 and involved approximately 1,443,000 tablets of drugs such as diazepam and nitrazepam.

The allegations were proven by admission, and the registrant was sentenced to 28 months imprisonment. The initial suspension order was imposed in February 2022, followed by a review in January 2023, which extended the suspension for another 12 months. The recent review hearing concluded that the registrant’s fitness to practise remains impaired due to a lack of insight and remediation.

The committee highlighted the seriousness of the offenses, noting that the registrant’s actions posed a significant risk to public safety and undermined public confidence in the pharmacy profession. Despite the registrant’s completion of the criminal sentence, the committee found insufficient evidence of remediation or updated pharmacy knowledge.

The committee decided on an indefinite suspension, allowing the registrant to apply for reinstatement after two years, provided they can demonstrate full remediation and insight. This decision underscores the importance of maintaining public trust and ensuring that pharmacy professionals adhere to ethical and legal standards.

Pharmacy professionals can learn from this case the critical importance of adhering to legal requirements for controlled substances and the necessity of maintaining professional integrity. The case also highlights the need for ongoing professional development and the demonstration of insight and remediation following any professional misconduct.