What Happened
The Maryland Board of Pharmacy found that a pharmacist who was pharmacist-in-charge at a pharmacy in Virginia diverted controlled substances.
A camera in the pharmacy area captured him removing medication from the controlled substance safe and placing it in his pocket, and on several occasions into a cup; a subsequent inventory showed 847 mg of tramadol powder and 2,947 mg of hydrocodone powder missing. The pharmacy's president stated in writing that the pharmacist admitted taking controlled substances, including hydrocodone powder, and using them in his coffee and other beverages while working, and the pharmacist admitted to Virginia Board investigators that he diverted controlled substances for personal use between August 13 and October 13, 2021, after which he was terminated. The Board revoked his Maryland license by order dated July 2023.
What the Record Shows
Maryland pharmacist license revoked; order reportable to the National Practitioner Data Bank
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: Alleged theft of a controlled substance from the pharmacy; a pharmacy video camera captured the pharmacist-in-charge removing medication from the controlled substance safe and placing it in his pocket or into a cup; an inventory found 847 mg of tramadol powder and 2,947 mg of hydrocodone powder missing; the pharmacy president stated the pharmacist admitted taking controlled substances, including hydrocodone powder, and using them in his coffee and other beverages while working; the pharmacist admitted to Virginia Board investigators that he diverted controlled substances from the pharmacy for personal use between August 13, 2021 and October 13, 2021.. 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.