A group of San Diego pharmacies and their owners paid $750,000 to the federal government to resolve allegations that they mishandled significant amounts of highly addictive and frequently abused prescription drugs, as well as ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products, U.S. Attorney Laura Duffy announced Tuesday.
The settlement is with Park Medical Pharmacy Inc. and owners Joseph Grasela and John Grasela, doing business as Medical Center Pharmacy.
The Graselas operated a dozen storefront pharmacies under various names such as Galloway Medical Center Pharmacy, Community Medical Center Pharmacy and Medical Center Pharmacy.
According to authorities, the settlement arises out of a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigation into suspected illegal activity at Medical Center Pharmacy. Based on DEA inventory audits, inspections and other investigative activities, the government alleged that Medical Center Pharmacy committed multiple violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
The alleged violations include diversion of a significant amount of controlled substances; failure to control the pharmacies’ inventory of controlled substances; failure to maintain required records of the pharmacies’ distribution of controlled substances; and failure to obtain the proper authorization required for the sale of ephedrine and pseudoephedrine products, which can be used to produce methamphetamine.
Government officials assert that Medical Center Pharmacy was unable to account for about 21,000 pills at four locations over a two-year period.
In some instances, pharmacy technicians allegedly diverted thousands of pills. In others, Medical Center Pharmacy allegedly delivered drugs to a residence that pill seekers used in conjunction with their sham identities.
The unaccounted-for pills were the powerful and highly addictive drugs oxycodone and hydrocodone, commonly known by their brand names OxyContin, Roxicodone and Percocet, authorities said.
“Oxycodone and hydrocodone have similar chemical structures to heroin and are similarly dangerous,” Duffy said. “The United States will not tolerate drug diversion or poor inventory control of highly abused and highly addictive prescription painkillers. This settlement conveys that message.”
In addition to paying $750,000 to the government, Medical Center Pharmacy will implement new inventory control procedures to assure full accountability of all controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
— City News Service
