Imprisoned Zolpidem Pharmacist Struck off the Register

SOLIHULL – A pharmacist imprisoned last year for steering large quantities of resting pills to the black market was struck off the register, after a recent GPhC hearing.

The remote fitness to a practice committee hearing on May 24-25 heard that Dean Dookhan, who worked as a pharmacist in Northbrook Pharmacy in Solihull, was sentenced to 27 months for illegally providing Class C drugs last July also possessing a medicinal product for wholesale distribution without a permit.

He acted along with fellow Solihull pharmacist Narvinder Nandra, who likewise obtained a custodial sentence.

Between September 1, 2015, and also May 13, 2016, the pair ordered more than 20,000 packs of zolpidem which they sold to an individual based in Trinidad that was not a legitimate medications wholesaler.

An MHRA investigation was launched after the owners of the Northbrook Pharmacy became wary of the multitude of orders for zolpidem.

Dookhan released on probation

Mr. Dookhan was released from prison on April 14 this year but is being overseen by probation for the remainder of his sentence.

Having actually undertaken remedial steps while in prison, such as completing CPD on addiction concerns, he is currently working in a pharmacy in a non-pharmacist role and is “kept in high regard” by his employer, the FtP committee heard.

He stated that throughout the period concerned, he felt under extreme pressure to reverse “a challenging pharmacy” and “hesitant to reveal any type of weakness, to ask for help.”

These efforts were “damaging to his health and decision-making,” the FtP committee heard.

‘ Sustained lack of respect for the regulation’

The committee found that Mr. Dookhan breached “many fundamental principles of the occupation” via his activities and revealed a “sustained disrespect for the laws of this country”.

His criminal convictions “weaken the public’s capacity justifiably to trust and confidence in pharmacy professionals,” stated the committee, which found that his fitness to practice suffered.

The committee stated that while it had not seen any type of evidence of patients being harmed as a result of the exported zolpidem, it was “conceivable and also most likely” that those who at some point received it were vulnerable and at risk.

After taking into consideration the variety of possible sanctions, the committee defended that the maximum suspension period of one year was inadequate, as Mr. Dookhan would certainly have the ability to return to practice while “still serving his sentence for committing severe drug offenses committed throughout his pharmacy practice and for personal gain”.

For that reason, the committee decided to remove his name from the register as well as enforce an interim suspension until the removal works.

Read the original article on Pharmacy Magazine.

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