Port Allen pharmacist accused of filling invalid prescriptions for oxycodone, fentanyl
The federal government has come down hard on a Port Allen pharmacy that is accused of producing invalid prescriptions for just over a two-year period. From January 1, 2018, through March 4, 2020, Stevens Pharmacy was accused of actioning over 1,000 incorrect prescriptions.
Prescriptions for controlled substances such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl were honored by Stevens Pharmacy when they were not supposed to. Steven Gough, the owner of the small business, has been fined $275,000 for these repeated and intentional infractions.
Additionally, a federal court ruled that Gough did not accurately communicate how much of each controlled substance he had in his possession.
Multiple infractions
According to reports, there were a lot of infractions by Stevens Pharmacy. They would give a customer more opioids than prescribed, provide substances to customers before the effective date of the prescription, and honor expired prescriptions, among other violations.
It’s unclear at this time whether a customer who had their prescription processed at Stevens Pharmacy suffered serious medical ramifications as a result of the business’ malpractice. Gough’s business had been on the Drug Enforcement Administration’s radar for some time.
He was forced to give up his DEA registration after a March 2020 inspection uncovered violations at the business.
Gough will also be closely monitored by the government if he decides to continue operating a pharmacy in Louisiana, or anywhere in the United States. The DEA will have the right to show up at his business unannounced for three years to ensure compliance with federal regulations.
This is an area of public well-being that is being prioritized at the state and federal levels, as drug overdoses have been on the rise for the better part of a decade.
The Johnson Firm hopes that everyone in the community adheres to dosage requirements communicated by reputable medical professionals. However, when medical professionals step outside of their duty to do no harm, they can and should be held accountable. Our Lake Charles medical malpractice lawyers can be reached at (337) 433-1414 for a legal consultation.
