A registered pharmacy technician at a Minnesota pharmacy removed oxycodone tablets from prescriptions that had already been filled for patients and were waiting in the will-call area. The Board of Pharmacy order describes the technician filing bags of filled prescriptions, then opening one bag, unscrewing the vial with her back to the camera, pouring tablets into her hand and transferring them to her pocket before hanging the bag back on the shelf.
The conduct was detected through a review of the pharmacy's video surveillance on or about January 7, 2021. A pharmacy loss prevention manager confronted the technician, who admitted stealing the pills and handed over ten oxycodone tablets. Local law enforcement was notified. During questioning the technician estimated she had stolen prescription pills from patients on about ten different occasions to alleviate her own pain, and she signed a written confession.
Because the tablets came from patients' filled prescriptions, the diversion meant patients could have received short counts of their prescribed medication. The Board resolved the matter by issuing a stipulation and consent order accepting the voluntary surrender of the technician's registration at its May 2021 meeting.