What Happened
A pharmacist and pharmacy manager at a CVS pharmacy in Berlin, Vermont admitted to diverting hydromorphone 8 mg tablets, approximately 100 over several months in 2021, and an unknown amount of liquid hydromorphone 1 mg/mL solution for personal use.
The pharmacist also documented the expected tablet count as in stock even though he knew the count was off because of the diversion, and told investigators he replaced the diverted liquid volume with distilled water to make it appear full; testing later showed diphenhydramine in the solution. The Vermont Board of Pharmacy found the pharmacist in default, treated the allegations in the Specification of Charges as proven, and revoked his license.
What the Record Shows
License revoked; the Board of Pharmacy found the pharmacist in default and treated the Specification of Charges as proven
Why It Matters for Diversion Programs
This entry comes from a primary source rather than a federal enforcement release, and it is recorded as reported: Diverted controlled substances from the pharmacy for personal use from about March 2021 to September 2021; admitted diverting approximately 100 hydromorphone 8 mg tablets from a 100-count bottle over several months and an unknown amount of liquid hydromorphone 1 mg/mL solution. Documented the expected tablet count as in stock knowing the count was off because of the diversion, ordered liquid hydromorphone with no legitimate reason, and told investigators he replaced the diverted liquid volume with distilled water to make the bottle appear full; testing revealed diphenhydramine in the solution.. Board and news records are a lagging indicator - by the time a licensing authority or a reporter learns of a diversion, the diversion was normally detected internally first, which makes each entry a signal that inventory reconciliation, waste observation or dispensing oversight failed earlier.