Is Repackaging of Leftover Nursing Home Drugs a Victimless Crime?

By William J. Beerman, Sr.

A Pittsburgh area institutional pharmacist who filled prescriptions for nursing home residents was sentenced in federal court to 2 years probation and 150 hours of community service on October 17 after being convicted of conspiracy in a fraud scheme. According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), MedFast pharmacy drivers picked up leftover drugs from nursing homes. Then, the Beaver County manager for MedFast oversaw repackaging of the picked-up drugs for reuse in other prescriptions.

DOJ said drugs from different manufacturers with different lot numbers and different expiration dates were commingled in pharmacy stock bottles after the pharmacy picked them up from nursing homes. When it was necessary for pharmacy employees to enter lot numbers and expiration dates as they filled new prescriptions, the employees were instructed to use inaccurate and false information, rendering the drugs “misbranded,” according to DOJ. In addition, DOJ said Medicare, Medicaid, and other insurers were not reimbursed for the unused drugs, but they were billed for the illegal, “misbranded” leftover drugs used to fill new prescriptions.

Read More

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *