Catholic Medical Center in Manchester, New Hampshire agreed in July 2024 to pay $300,000 to resolve allegations that it violated federal law by failing to keep accurate records of controlled substances, including opioids. The U.S. attorney's office announced the agreement. The hospital did not admit liability.
The Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating the hospital in 2023 after a nurse anesthetist was found to have diverted liquid fentanyl left over from medical procedures instead of discarding it, and to have falsified disposal records. Investigators said the nurse took controlled substances about once a day for a year. The nurse later pleaded guilty to tampering with consumer products.
A DEA audit of the hospital's records found that its inventory for seven controlled substances, including fentanyl, was inaccurate. The hospital possessed larger quantities of those drugs than its records showed.
According to the U.S. attorney's office, the hospital cooperated with the investigation and took significant steps to improve its controls and procedures against future theft and diversion. The hospital stated that it notified federal and state authorities promptly upon discovering the incident and remains committed to maintaining a drug diversion prevention program.