DETROIT (WWJ) - Four Metro Detroit pharmacies have agreed to a $180,000 settlement with the federal government over alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
The HealthPlus pharmacies are located in Ann Arbor, Brighton, Howell, and Allen Park. Federal officials say, collectively, the pharmacies agreed to settle over what amounts to a record-keeping lapse that resulted in the inability to account for over 30,000 hydrocodone and oxycodone pills over approximately 18 months.
“Our Office is committed to combatting the opioid crisis and will seek to hold accountable participants at every level of the distribution chain who fail to comply with their obligations under the Controlled Substances Act,” said United States Attorney Dawn N. Ison in a written Press Release.
“Pharmacies play a critical role in preventing drug abuse and diversion, and this settlement helps ensure these four pharmacies comply with the law."
The pain pills are often sold on the Black Market and have been tied to a number of drug abuse and overdose cases in Metro Detroit and across the country.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began investigating HealthPlus Pharmacy of Ann Arbor, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Brighton, HealthPlus Pharmacy of Howell, and All Care Pharmacy in Allen Park (collectively, Health Plus Pharmacies) in 2020 for potential violations of the CSA.
The DEA’s investigation revealed that Health Plus Pharmacies committed several significant recordkeeping violations. These included failing to maintain a complete and accurate record of all Schedule II controlled substances.
The DEA also determined that Health Plus Pharmacies failed to maintain effective controls to guard against the diversion of controlled substances.
In addition to the $180,000, Health Plus Pharmacies has also entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the DEA requiring, among other things, that the pharmacies hire an external auditor to conduct unannounced audits of highly abused controlled substances over the next two years. The pharmacy must also institute a broad-based educational program for its employees that focuses on prevention of drug diversion in the workplace.
Congress passed the CSA to combat the illegal distribution and abuse of controlled substances.
Under the CSA, entities registered with the DEA who purchase, distribute, dispense, transfer, or sell controlled substances must comply with strict inventory and documentation requirements.
Each DEA registrant, including pharmacies, must maintain complete and accurate records of each substance manufactured, received, sold, delivered, dispensed, or otherwise disposed of by the registrant.
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