Pharmacist License Defense
As a pharmacist, you face considerable stress trying to handle your extensive responsibilities in a careful, thorough manner. You know that any allegation of unethical or unlawful behavior – or any possible addiction you may have to an illegal substance – will more than likely result in you meeting with an administrative board. If you face this unwanted confrontation, you will need an experienced pharmacist license defense attorney.
Contact The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, so we can help you work to resolve your pending pharmacist licensure matter, as well as any related issues. Reach out to us today.
Calling A Professional License Defense Attorney
Is your good standing as a pharmacist endangered by the threat of alcohol abuse or drug use? If so, then you need legal assistance. The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn is committed to defending your rights, whether in administrative hearings or other challenges to your professional licensure.
The Professional Health Monitoring Program (PHMP) is available to you as a licensed professional. SARPH – Secundum Artem Reaching Pharmacists with Help – is a peer-assistance program specifically intended for pharmacists and pharmacy students.
It is important to contact an attorney specializing in pharmacist license defense as soon as you are informed that an administrative investigation is underway or even if you suspect that an investigation is pending.
Pennsylvania Pharmacist Peer-Assistance Program
SARPH is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping pharmacists and pharmacy students in Pennsylvania who may be suffering from substance abuse and/or mental illness to recover and be gainfully employed in their profession through identification, treatment and monitoring.
SARPH works with the Pharmacy Board in the treatment and monitoring of pharmacists who may suffer from substance abuse or alcohol abuse.
We work closely with SARPH to assist pharmacists in all matters involving pharmacy licenses as well as criminal matters that may arise from the misuse of controlled substances.
If there is a hearing in front of the Pharmacy Board, we will work with SARPH and, when appropriate, request that a member of SARPH appear before the Pharmacy Board to testify on your behalf.
Common Questions About Pharmacist License Defense In Pennsylvania
Pharmacists often face difficult situations that can put their licenses at risk. Here are answers to questions we frequently hear from Pennsylvania pharmacists:
What happens to my license if I accidentally fill a forged or fraudulent prescription for a controlled substance?
Federal law and Pennsylvania’s Controlled Substance Act place a “corresponding responsibility” on you to verify that controlled substance prescriptions are legitimate before you dispense them.
The Board and law enforcement will review whether you missed obvious warning signs. This includes unusual prescribing patterns, altered dosages, cash-only payments from patients who live far away or prescriptions written outside a prescriber’s specialty. If you acted in good faith and used reasonable professional judgment, you face far less risk of formal license discipline than if investigators discover a pattern of careless dispensing.
Document your decision-making process when you have concerns about a prescription. Keep notes about why you filled it or why you refused. This record protects you if the Board questions your judgment later.
Will the Board of Pharmacy discipline my license for a single medication dispensing error?
One isolated dispensing error, such as providing the wrong dosage or mislabeling a bottle, does not automatically trigger license revocation if you made an honest mistake and corrected it quickly.
The Bureau of Enforcement and Investigation (BEI) looks at the circumstances surrounding the error. If BEI finds that gross professional negligence caused the mistake, or if you worked while impaired or if the error fits into a larger pattern of reckless behavior that endangered public safety, the Board will pursue formal disciplinary action and impose heavy fines.
Your response matters. Report the error immediately, notify the patient and implement corrective measures. These steps show the Board that you take patient safety seriously.
What should I do if a BEI investigator shows up unannounced at my pharmacy to question me?
You will feel panicked when a BEI investigator walks into your pharmacy without warning, but you are not legally required to submit to an immediate, recorded interview on the spot.
State law requires you to allow investigators to inspect your pharmacy premises and public records. However, you have the right to politely tell the investigator that you will not answer detailed questions about your personal practice or a pending complaint until you consult with legal counsel. Say something as simple as, “I want to cooperate fully, but I need to speak with my attorney first.” Then contact a pharmacist license defense attorney immediately.
Anything you say during an unplanned interview can hurt your case later, even if you believe you are helping yourself by explaining the situation.
Put Our Knowledge And Experience As Medical License Defense Attorneys To Work For You
At The Law Offices of Brian E. Quinn, we want to protect your reputation within the communities in which you serve. Contact us today to speak with an attorney about what you are facing in any impending administrative hearing or any other aspect of your pharmacist license defense. Or, call us at 866-657-7318.
