A southeast Alabama pharmacy and its owner were fined $110,000 for shoddy recordkeeping that led to thousands of opioid doses going unaccounted for, federal prosecutors said.
King Drug, which has since ceased operations as a retail pharmacy in Samson, in Geneva County, and owner Traci Revels McCoy, was being sued by federal prosecutors in Montgomery for alleged violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
Between January 16, 2021, and December 14, 2021, King Drug and McCoy “failed to keep complete, timely, and accurate inventories and records of the receipt and dispensing of Schedule II controlled substances,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross in a statement issued Friday.
The recordkeeping failures “resulted in thousands of doses of hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, and methadone going unaccounted for,” prosecutors said, which prompted the lawsuit.
A judge issued a consent judgment fining the pharmacy and McCoy $110,000 on Feb. 2.
“Pharmacies serve a vital role in preventing the diversion and the resulting abuse of dangerous prescription drugs,” said Ross. “The requirement to keep complete and accurate records is crucial for accountability and transparency. My office will use all available enforcement tools to ensure that controlled substances are properly handled and used for legitimate, medical purposes.”
Added Acting Special Agent in Charge Steven L. Hofer of the Drug Enforcement Administration: “Prescription medications, when misused, can pose a grave threat to public health,” said “That’s why meticulous recordkeeping by pharmacies is an essential line of defense against the opioid crisis. Every dose, every pill meticulously accounted for protects communities and saves lives.”
