Many people have suffered adverse reactions when a pharmacist has mixed up their medication, gave them the wrong drugs, or dispensed the incorrect dose of medication. These people want to know what happens to that pharmacist after they file a complaint with the State Board of Pharmacy. This curiosity is normal, as it is natural to want to know how the negligent pharmacist is punished for his or her wrongful actions.
Every State Board of Pharmacy is responsible for regulating pharmacy practices through disciplinary processes. Typically, the board will receive notices of complaints against a particular pharmacy or pharmacist. Depending on the details and accusations of the complaint, investigators may make an unannounced visit to the pharmacy to conduct an investigation, or they may send written correspondence that the pharmacy or pharmacist can reply to. If the board decides to initiate disciplinary action against a pharmacist for pharmacy malpractice and violating pharmacy or drug laws, then the pharmacist is generally invited to attend an informal settlement conference with the board.
What Happens at the Informal Settlement Conference?
The pharmacist will be given the date, time, and place of the scheduled conference and the information that will be discussed. At the conference, the pharmacist will be given a chance to present his or her side of the complaint and respond to the allegations. The board panel will then deliberate and decide on a recommendation. Each outcome is different depending on the case details. Some pharmacists may receive a dismissal, formal warning, or fine; others may face more serious disciplinary action, such as:
- Restricted license
- Suspended license
- Revoked license
If the panel proposes disciplinary action, it has to present it to the rest of the board members at the next meeting. If the majority of the members agree to the disciplinary proposal, the complaint against the pharmacist will be entered. However, the pharmacist has the opportunity to appeal the decision and have a public hearing conducted by the Administrative Law Judge.
If you have been injured, or if you lost a loved one, due to pharmacy error, you may have a pharmacy malpractice case. If you would like to discuss your potential pharmacy malpractice lawsuit, please call Kennedy Hodges, L.L.P., an experienced pharmacy error law firm, at 888-526-7616 for a free consultation and a FREE copy of our report, How to Make Pharmacies Pay for Injuries Caused by Medication Errors.