DUNELLEN – The
state has suspended the pharmacist license of the former owner of the
Towne Pharmacy who illegally distributed a prescription painkiller to
people across the nation in an Internet scheme.
Peter J. Riccio,
who in February 2014 sold the North Avenue pharmacy, pleaded guilty in
federal court in June 2014 to giving Fiorcet, a pain drug that contains a
potentially addictive ingredient, to patients who actually had not been
seen by doctors. Out-of-state prescribers instead wrote prescriptions
for patients who had filled out online questionnaires.
Riccio, who
also owned two Lehigh Valley pharmacies in Pennsylvania, was sentenced
to two years probation and a $100 mandatory assessment.
The pharmacy, a local landmark now called Ray Pharmacy, wants to have a new beginning.
"We
want to give our customers a fresh start," said Tanup Patel, the
manager of Ray Pharmacy. "The history of the pharmacy doesn't have to
affect customer service. Our whole goal in taking over the business is
to treat the customers fairly."
Riccio still owns the
approximately 2,500-square-foot space, but the store has new
pharmacists, a bilingual employee to assist customers with prescriptions
as well as insurance and a van for home deliveries.
"They can
have the same neighborhood service with a new owner," Patel said. "We
don't want to go into the past. We want to create a better future for
the pharmacy."
Scheme
The
federal indictment against Riccio said that customers would visit a
website offering prescriptions where customers would choose a drug, then
answer yes-or-no questions.
The website, which Riccio did not own
or operate, then would send the questionnaire to a physician — often
not practicing in the state where the customer lived — who wrote a
prescription, without examining or speaking to the customer, reviewing
medical records and verifying the information.
The website
operator then would send the prescription to Riccio, who filled it and
sent it through the mail or by a carrier service to the customer,
according to the federal indictment.
On Feb. 5, the state Board of
Pharmacy ordered the suspension of Riccio's license for a minimum of
five years, beginning retroactively on the date of the June 2014
judgment of conviction.
The state will not consider the
reinstatement of Riccio's license at least until June 20, 2019. Before
applying for reinstatement, Riccio must pay $45,000 in civil penalties
and $14,668.50 to repay the state's investigative and legal costs.
"This
pharmacist chose to put profits ahead of public safety and professional
integrity," Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman said. "He provided
an addictive, dangerous and often-abused drug to patients who had not
actually been seen and evaluated by the unscrupulous doctors who
allegedly wrote their prescriptions. I applaud the Board of Pharmacy for
suspending his license."
"Pharmacists are required to use their
professional judgment when filling prescriptions — especially when, as
in this case, the pharmacist admitted that he knew doctors had written
these prescriptions without actually seeing the patients," Division of
Consumer Affairs Acting Director Steve Lee said. "A licensed
practitioner who would engage in such irresponsible behavior has no
place practicing in New Jersey — especially at a time when the abuse and
diversion of prescription drugs remains one of our greatest public
health threats."
Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@njpressmedia.com
Fonte: Central Jersey
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