Board of Pharmacy defense lawyer | The Health Law Firm Blog

Colorado Judge Says Board of Pharmacy Must Hand Over Patient Identifying Data to DEA

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 22, 2020, a federal judge ordered the Colorado Board of Pharmacy to give the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescription drug monitoring program data on two pharmacies that the DEA is investigating. The data includes patient identifying information of more than 14,000 patients. The state must turn over the data by May 15, 2020, according to the order.

Pharmacy Investigations and Audits.

Citing concerns about the two pharmacies’ handling of controlled-substance prescriptions, the DEA issued subpoenas under the Controlled Substances Act in 2019. The DEA requested the information as part of an investigation […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 22, 2020|Health Facilities Law Blog|

New Florida Law Allows Limited Pharmacist Medical Practice with Practice Agreements

By Michael L. Smith, R.R.T., J.D., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
A new Florida law allows pharmacists to practice medicine to a certain extent underwritten collaborative practice agreements with physicians who are licensed to practice medicine or osteopathic medicine in Florida. The new law, signed by Governor DeSantis, took effect on July 1, 2020. However, the initial 20-hour course required by the law has not been approved as of July 22, 2020. Also, the Florida Board of Pharmacy has not adopted the formulary of approved medicinal drugs that are required by the law, as of this writing on July 22, 2020.

What Pharmacists Need to Know […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 21, 2020|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Federal Judge Says Colorado Board of Pharmacy Must Hand Over Patient Identifying Data to DEA

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 22, 2020, a federal judge ordered the Colorado Board of Pharmacy to give the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescription drug monitoring program data on two pharmacies that the DEA is investigating. The data includes patient identifying information of more than 14,000 patients. The state must turn over the data by May 15, 2020, according to the order.

Pharmacy Investigations.

Citing concerns about the two pharmacies’ handling of controlled-substance prescriptions, the DEA issued subpoenas under the Controlled Substances Act in 2019. The DEA requested the information as part of an investigation into whether […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00July 1, 2020|Nursing Law Blog|

Emergency Order Allows Florida Pharmacists to Temporarily Order, Administer COVID-19 Tests

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 24, 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would expand the opportunities for people to obtain COVID-19 tests by allowing licensed pharmacists to order and administer them. For purposes of preparing for, responding to, and mitigating any effect of COVID-19, Emergency Order 20-006 was filed, suspending section 483.813, Florida Statutes. You can click on the link to read the entire Order.

According to the Order, it was necessary to waive certain statutes and rules of the Florida DOH in order to effectively respond to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:57-04:00June 24, 2020|Uncategorized|

Emergency Order Allows Florida Pharmacists to Order and Administer COVID-19 Tests

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 24, 2020, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced he would expand the opportunities for people to obtain COVID-19 tests by allowing licensed pharmacists to order and administer them. For purposes of preparing for, responding to, and mitigating any effect of COVID-19, Emergency Order 20-006 was filed, suspending section 483.813, Florida Statutes. You can click on the link to read the entire Order.

According to the Order, it was necessary to waive certain statutes and rules of the Florida DOH in order to effectively respond to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:58-04:00June 3, 2020|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Colorado Board of Pharmacy Ordered to Hand Over Patient Identifying Data to DEA

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On April 22, 2020, a federal judge ordered the Colorado Board of Pharmacy to give the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) prescription drug monitoring program data on two pharmacies that the DEA is investigating. The data includes patient identifying information of more than 14,000 patients. The state must turn over the data by May 15, 2020, according to the order.

Pharmacy Investigations.

Citing concerns about the two pharmacies’ handling of controlled-substance prescriptions, the DEA issued subpoenas under the Controlled Substances Act in 2019. The DEA requested the information as part of an investigation into whether […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T09:59:58-04:00June 3, 2020|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Walgreens Agrees to Pay $7.5 Million To End Lawsuit Over Unlicensed Pharmacist

By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
On February 4, 2020, Walgreens agreed to pay $7.5 million to settle allegations that for more than a decade it let an unlicensed pharmacist handle hundreds of thousands of prescriptions. The pharmacy giant settled with authorities after an employee was criminally charged with impersonating a pharmacist in California. Prosecutors said that from 2006 through 2017, she used the license numbers of other registered pharmacists to dispense more than 745,000 prescriptions at Walgreens stores.

A Phony Pharmacist.

According to the lawsuit, Kim Thien Le worked for Walgreens for more than 15 years, first […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:03-04:00March 6, 2020|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Walgreens Agrees to Pay $269 Million to Settle Two FCA Suits

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

On January 22, 2019, Walgreens agreed to pay more than $269 million to settle allegations of False Claims Act (FCA) violations for overbilling of various drugs. The deals are some of the largest pay-outs ever by a retail pharmacy, according to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ).

The Two Settlements.

There were two separate complaints involving Walgreens to settle federal and state lawsuits that accused the pharmacy of overbilling federal healthcare programs. Both were unsealed by U.S. District Court judges in Manhattan, according to […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:00:18-04:00January 29, 2019|Pharmacy Law Blog|

Florida Doctors and Pharmacists Beware: Gov. Scott Declares State of Emergency for Opioid Abuse Crisis

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

On May 3, 2017, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to combat Florida’s opioid-addiction epidemic. According to the governor, the number of overdose deaths has reached epidemic proportions. This declaration will allow nearly $30 million in federal funding to be spent for treatment and prevention services.

Given past state actions taken to attempt to eliminate prescription pain medication abuse, physicians writing such prescriptions and pharmacies filling such prescriptions should beware. Get prepared, not only through having a good compliance program, but by contacting and having a good attorney on retainer in the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:37-04:00May 15, 2018|Health Facilities Law Blog|

Florida Doctors and Pharmacists Beware: Gov. Scott Declares State of Emergency for Opioid Abuse Crisis

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

On May 3, 2017, Florida Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency to combat Florida’s opioid-addiction epidemic. According to the governor, the number of overdose deaths has reached epidemic proportions. This declaration will allow nearly $30 million in federal funding to be spent for treatment and prevention services.

Given past state actions taken to attempt to eliminate prescription pain medication abuse, physicians writing such prescriptions and pharmacies filling such prescriptions should beware. Get prepared, not only through having a good compliance program, but by contacting and having a good attorney on retainer in the […]

By The Health Law Firm|2024-03-14T10:01:41-04:00May 15, 2018|Pharmacy Law Blog|