Pharmacy | The Health Law Firm Blog

Employee Steals More Than $14 Million in Cancer Drugs from University of Miami Pharmacy

By Michael L. Smith, J.D., R.R.T., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

For three years, hundreds of life-saving cancer drugs disappeared from the shelves of the University of Miami’s (UM) Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. A pharmacy technician at the center was arrested in connection to the thefts in May of 2011, and is accused of stealing more than $14 million in cancer drugs, according to the Miami Herald. The pharmacy tech faces four counts of grand theft, two counts of trafficking in contraband prescription drugs and one count of dealing in stolen property.

To read the entire article from the Miami Herald, click here.

Pharmacy Had No System to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:07-04:00May 15, 2018|Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|

“Operation Main Pain” Targets More Than 60 in Fraudulent Prescription Drug Ring

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office announced a fraudulent prescription drug ring bust that spanned throughout Sarasota and Manatee counties in Florida, on September 19, 2013. So far, 61 people, including the alleged ringleader have been arrested. The operation has been dubbed “Operation Main Pain” by the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Click here to view the press release from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office.

Investigation Unveiled Complex Fraudulent Drug Ring.

The investigation began in July 2011, when a fraudulent oxycodone prescription was noticed at a CVS pharmacy in Sarasota County. When more of the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:14-04:00May 15, 2018|Pain Management, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Trafficking Prescription Painkillers|

Crackdown in the Supply of Prescription Medications Drive Floridians to Heroin

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

For the past three years, Florida lawmakers and officials have waged war against prescription drug abuse. At the peak of the pill abuse epidemic, seven people a day reportedly died of a prescription drug overdose in Florida. As the Sunshine State became known as painkiller capital of America, officials worked quickly to enact legislation against prescription drugs, develop and monitor the statewide prescription drug monitoring database, and crackdown on prescription drug abusers and pill mills. Flash forward to summer 2013, prescription pills are harder to come by and more expensive, therefore making them less […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:39-04:00May 15, 2018|Pain Management, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Trafficking Prescription Painkillers|

Phony Pharmacist Gets Prison Time for Working at Pharmacies in Central Florida

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

On November 2, 2012, a former Altamonte Springs resident was sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for fraudulently working as a Central Florida pharmacist from 2000 to 2009, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Click here to read the press release from the DOJ.

I previously blogged about this story when the fake pharmacist pleaded guilty. Click here to read that blog.

Man Allegedly Worked at a CVS and Walgreens in Central Florida.

According to an article in the Orlando Sentinel, the man worked at pharmacies […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Department of Health, Florida Board of Pharmacy, Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|

New Permit Law for Florida Pharmacies that Compound Sterile Products

Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm and George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

The Florida Board of Pharmacy announced a new law which will be required for pharmacies that compound sterile products. Effective September 23, 2013, Rule 64B16-28.100(8), Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), requires most pharmacies that engage in the preparation of sterile compounded products in Florida to obtain a Special Sterile Compounding Permit. Pharmacies compounding sterile products under their current pharmacy permit may continue to do so, but must obtain the new Special Sterile Compounding Permit on or before March 21, 2014.

Click here […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:15-04:00May 15, 2018|Compounding pharmacy, Florida Board of Pharmacy, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law|

CVS Blacklists Second Set of Doctors Accused of Overprescribing Painkillers

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

CVS is again stepping up its own internal efforts to combat the nation’s prescription drug abuse epidemic. According to Reuters, the second largest retail pharmacy chain announced it is cutting off access to the most powerful painkillers for more than 36 doctors and health care providers around the country. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been keeping a close eye on CVS over the past few years. According to Reuters, CVS began revoking the dispensing privileges of certain providers back in 2011. CVS disclosed this round of suspensions on August 21, 2013.

To read […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:40-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacist, Pharmacy|

Sex, Drugs and Money Lands Avalon Park Pharmacist in Handcuffs

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Sex, prescription drugs and money – sounds like the next big rock ‘n’ roll song, doesn’t it? According to a number of news sources, the owner of an Avalon Park-area pharmacist was allegedly knowingly filling phony prescriptions for painkillers. The pharmacist is also accused of exchanging sex for drugs with at least one woman, according to the Orlando Sentinel. This investigation was led by the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation (MBI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Both agencies simultaneously raided the pharmacy on November 29, 2012.

Avalon Park is a […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:08-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacist, Pharmacy, Pharmacy Law, Trafficking Prescription Painkillers|

Compounding Pharmacies Urged to Sign Up for U.S. Food and Drug Administration Oversight

By Lance O. Leider, J.D., The Health Law Firm

It is estimated there are 3,000 compounding pharmacies in the United States, 14 of which have signed up to be regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Drug Quality and Security Act. On January 8, 2014, the commissioner of the FDA sent thousands of letters to hospitals and other medical providers that may buy medicines from the compounding pharmacies. The letters urged providers to encourage compounding pharmacies to register as producers of sterile drugs in an effort to protect the public. The letters also mentioned last year’s meningitis outbreak stemming from unsanitary conditions at the New England […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:15-04:00May 15, 2018|Compounding pharmacy, Florida Board of Pharmacy, Pharmacy|

Need Last Minute Deposition or Hearing Representation? Call The Health Law Firm

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

Our office often takes phone calls from pharmacies and pharmacists needing short-notice representation at a Board of Pharmacy hearing or at a deposition related to a health care matter.

In our experience, many other law firms refuse to represent clients at a hearings unless the firm is given plenty of advance notice. We always prefer to have sufficient time to obtain documents, review files, interview witnesses, conduct research and prepare, in order to provide the best possible representation to our client. However, we realize that in certain cases, the alternative is that the client either […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:40-04:00May 15, 2018|Florida Board of Pharmacy, Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacist, Pharmacy|

Florida Pharmacy Owner Admits to $23 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law

A co-owner and operator of three Miami-area pharmacies pleaded guilty on December 6, 2012, for his part in a $23 million health care fraud scheme. The pharmacy owner allegedly admitted in the Florida Southern Federal District Court to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of conspiracy to pay illegal health care kickbacks, according to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release.

Click here to read the entire press release from the DOJ.

Pharmacy Owner and Co-Conspirators Used a Network of Beneficiaries […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:09-04:00May 15, 2018|Legal Defense for Pharmacists, Pharmacy|