Pharmacist on a ‘staggering’ amount of morphine continued to work
He ordered controlled drugs from wholesaler for his own use, tribunal hears
A community pharmacist who continued to work despite using a “staggering” amount of morphine and other controlled drugs has been found guilty of professional misconduct.
The managing pharmacist’s drug use only came to light after notifications were made to AHPRA, according to the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
He admitted to obtaining large quantities of controlled drugs, predominantly morphine but also hydromorphone, pethidine, methadone and oxycodone, by ordering them from a pharmacy wholesaler or another pharmacy to self-administer, the tribunal heard.
Between January 2012 and February 2013, the pharmacist obtained 1750 vials of morphine alone, including 1160 vials of Morphine Tartrate 120mg 1.5ml, the tribunal heard.
