A Minnesota pharmacist with a documented history of alcohol addiction, treated in a 28-day residential program in October 2011, began diverting hydrocodone/acetaminophen tablets in approximately June or July 2012 from more than one pharmacy where he practiced. According to the Board of Pharmacy summary, he developed an addiction and was diverting and consuming about 15 tablets a day. Later in 2012 he also began diverting zolpidem.
When hydrocodone was rescheduled into Schedule II in approximately October 2014, the pharmacist stopped taking that drug and began diverting tramadol instead. By the summer of 2016 he was diverting and consuming up to 15 zolpidem tablets and up to 25 tramadol tablets per day. He admitted consuming the drugs while on duty as a pharmacist.
The pharmacist also admitted altering the pharmacy's records in an attempt to cover up the diversion, which is why the losses went unrecognized for roughly four years. The Board summary does not describe how the diversion ultimately came to light.
Based on these admissions, the Board suspended the pharmacist's license for an indefinite period. The action was reported in the Board's disciplinary summary covering its November 2016 through February 2017 meetings.