Commission accepts settlements in multiple pharmacy enforcement cases involving lost drugs, closures and dispensing errors

The Consumer Protection Department's drug-control commission accepted a series of proposed settlements in enforcement cases addressing medication losses, unscheduled closures, management and dispensing errors.

Legal counsel presented each matter and the council's recommended resolutions. Attorney Ando summarized several cases involving Connecticut pharmacies, including a consumer-complaint matter where damaged bags and a substitution led to two patient prescriptions being mixed (case 2025-2463) and an incident tied to a ScriptPro refill process that resulted in approximately 475 benzodiazepine tablets being lost (case 2025-2031). Both cases were reported as resolved with voluntary monetary payments of $2,000 each, which counsel said have been paid.

Attorney Ando and Attorney Iommo detailed multiple additional matters: unscheduled-closure cases (example settlement $1,000 in case 2025-1106), a case reporting 11 partial and seven full closures with staffing lapses (case 2025-1322, $3,000), and a routine-inspection case with 19 closures and notification failures where a $10,000 payment was reported. Attorney Iommo described a separate audit that could not account for a reported 500-tablet loss of clonazepam; that case (2025-1131) included a $2,500 voluntary payment the respondent has paid. Several dispensing errors that required retraining were also resolved with voluntary payments (examples: case 2025-1928, $1,000; case 2025-354, $2,000).

Why it matters: These settlements address patient safety, controlled-substance accountability and the commission's enforcement priorities (closures, inventory controls, and notification requirements). Commissioners asked questions about whether systematic retraining or manager accountability would follow; counsel reported instances of internal discipline and managerial changes in some cases.

Key case outcomes (as reported to the commission): - Case 2025-2463: consumer complaint, two patients' health information compromised; voluntary payment $2,000 (reported paid). - Case 2025-2031: controlled-substance loss (approx. 475 benzodiazepine tablets); voluntary payment $2,000 (reported paid). - Case 2025-1106: multiple unscheduled closures; voluntary payment $1,000 (reported paid). - Case 2025-1322: multiple partial/full closures and staffing lapses; voluntary payment $3,000 (self-reported). - Case 2025-2317: 19 closures and notification failures, multiple manager changes; voluntary payment $10,000 (reported paid). - Case 2025-1131: audit confirmed 500 clonazepam tablets missing; voluntary payment $2,500 (paid). - Case 2025-1928: technician sold unreconstituted medication; retraining planned; voluntary payment $1,000 (paid). - Case 2025-354: Tamiflu dispensing error and notification failures; voluntary payment $2,000 (paid). - Case 2025-1826: manager-of-record practice without timely interview; proposed payment $1,500 (to be paid).

Quotes and context: Attorney Ando told the commission that "appropriate quality assurance was undertaken" after notification in a case where bags were damaged and prescriptions were mixed; Attorney Iommo said an on-site audit and video review could not account for a 500-tablet clonazepam loss in a separate matter.

What's next: Counsel indicated additional cases remain in the pipeline, including nonresident compounding matters, confidentiality-breach cases and possible fraud/deceit allegations. The commission recorded the settlements and voted to accept the proposed resolutions during the meeting.

Ending: The commission accepted each proposed settlement by motion and voice vote and moved on to licensing and routine business.