[Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested

Volkman, Jennifer Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us
Fri Jun 19 12:55:16 EDT 2009


Yep, that's been my experience, we have a lot of genuinely concerned pharmacists interested in collecting.  I think we're saying that reverse distributors could make a mess out of the legitimate and compliant efforts by blowing it at the end.  I'm setting up a meeting with our pharmacy board, DEA, pharmacy association to go over these issues and hopefully get together guidance specific for MN collections.  

________________________________

From: Nicole Gattas [mailto:nmpeterse at yahoo.com]
Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 11:45 AM
To: JenniferVolkman; AllenGilliam; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us; StevanGressitt
Cc: Alvin Simmons; mirelesmc at earthlink.net
Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested


List, 
I'm a pharmacist that developed and coordinated a take back program in 20 chain stores (Schnucks) in St. Louis (MO and IL). We received quite a bit of press for our program that was supported by a grant from the EPA, and had many pharmacies calling me to ask how they could set it up.  The demonstration project is now over, and we are currently in data collection, so have not published results as of yet. 
 
So I'd like to comment from my perspective as a pharmacist... 
The pharmacists interested in this program genuinely want to do this as a value added service to assist with patient safety and help with environmental concerns.  They do not want to take back drugs to re-distribute them.  (I have only heard of one pharmacist that was doing something like this with samples from physicians offices, obviously against the law.) 
 
However, most state pharmacy practice acts do not discuss this, and within most colleges of pharmacy, we don't teach about pharmaceuticals in the environment, disposal, hazardous waste regulations, etc... normally within the curriculum. (I have heard that Midwestern in Chicago offers an elective.)  Therefore, a pharmacist interested in this area currently has no easily accessible information on how the process should or must work, and may rely on information from a reverse distributor. 
 
When chains or pharmacists have asked me, I have recommended they NOT try to implement a take back program into their pharmacy unless they have a champion that is willing to get approvals from their board of pharmacy, state DEA, state EPA, etc and become an expert in the area.  Many of them thought... I'll just take them back and send them back through my distributor or incineration company, when we on this list know it is not that simple. 
 
I guess my main point is: pharmacists (and other health care professionals) are genuinely concerned about this issue, but grossly undereducated in my opinion.  We need to address this at different levels including curriculum, trade journals, and primary literature. While we've recieved press on our program, no one has published the down and dirty details, etc that go along with setting up a program like this and help pharmacists realize laws and regulations that are involved.      
 
Hopefully we will be publishing results from our project soon!  
 
Thanks for reading my 2 cents! 
Nicole Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS 


Nicole M. Gattas, Pharm.D., BCPS 
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice 
St. Louis College of Pharmacy 
pager: (314) 253-2294 
voicemail: (314) 446-8555 
cell: (314) 504-1202 
email: nmpeterse at yahoo.com <mailto:nmpeterse at yahoo.com> 


--- On Fri, 6/19/09, Gressitt, Stevan <Stevan.Gressitt at maine.gov> wrote:



	From: Gressitt, Stevan <Stevan.Gressitt at maine.gov>
	Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested
	To: "Volkman, Jennifer" <Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us>, "Gilliam, Allen" <GILLIAM at adeq.state.ar.us>, pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us
	Cc: "Alvin Simmons" <alvsim4317 at gmail.com>, mirelesmc at earthlink.net
	Date: Friday, June 19, 2009, 11:17 AM
	
	
	I just had another conversation yesterday with a pharmacist who who
	blithely told me he knew what he was doing with his take back was
	probably against the law but "so what I'm doing the right thing." 
	
	It was so "in my ear" that I just decided not to even comment.
	
	There is a very very very long way to go yet.
	
	
	
	Stevan Gressitt, M.D., Medical Director
	Office of Adult Mental Health Services
	Department of Health and Human Services
	Marquardt Building, 2nd Floor
	11 State House Station
	32 Blossom Lane
	Augusta, ME  04333-0011
	Ph: (207)287-4273
	Fax: (207)287-1022
	Cell Phone: (207) 441-0291
	E-Mail : stevan.gressitt at maine.gov <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=stevan.gressitt@maine.gov> 
	http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/mh/
	
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	-----Original Message-----
	From: Volkman, Jennifer [mailto:Jennifer.Volkman at state.mn.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Jennifer.Volkman@state.mn.us> ] 
	Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 12:04 PM
	To: Gilliam, Allen; pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us> 
	Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; mirelesmc at earthlink.net <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net> 
	Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested
	
	We had a "reputable" reverse distributor here in MN that told a pharmacy
	they'd take everything from their household pharm collection and manage
	it for free as a value added service.  Well, we know none of those
	pharms can be redistributed and a portion of them will be hazardous and
	a portion will be controlled substances.  I was disappointed at their
	lack of knowledge of the HW and DEA regulations.  The pharmacist is one
	I've worked with over the past few years and knew the regulatory issues
	and that the deal sounded too good to be true. She called and we
	clarified that the reverse distributor could not do that, but other
	pharmacists that are pretty comfortable with their RDs might not see a
	red flag here.  I think there is plenty of work that needs to be done to
	ensure that RDs understand the regulatory issues so they don't end up
	getting fined for acting as unpermitted RCRA transporters or facilities.
	It is definitely something to go over with those who are doing HH pharm
	collection in your states, we don't want this issue to cut us off at the
	knees as Allen notes.  
	
	Another RD we looked at was doing the same basic thing--taking all,
	sorting and sewering what couldn't be legitimately redistributed.  They
	are doing a much better job now with some technical assistance.  I'm not
	sure how these entities are licensed, maybe through the state pharmacy
	board?  I'm going to check on that to see if we can get them some
	guidance because as far as I know we're 0 for 3 with these operations in
	MN.
	
	________________________________
	
	From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us>  on behalf of Gilliam,
	Allen
	Sent: Fri 6/19/2009 7:08 AM
	To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us> 
	Cc: Alvin Simmons; Gressitt, Stevan; mirelesmc at earthlink.net <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=mirelesmc@earthlink.net> 
	Subject: RE: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested
	
	
	
	I've heard this is not uncommon even at some of the pharmacies who are
	participating in a customer "take-back" program.  Many more stories like
	this come out, the DEA's gonna put a tight plug on the legit programs, I
	fear.
	
	-----Original Message-----
	From: pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us> 
	[mailto:pharmwaste-bounces at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste-bounces@lists.dep.state.fl.us> ] On Behalf Of Jennifer
	Crittenden
	Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:57 AM
	To: pharmwaste at lists.dep.state.fl.us <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=pharmwaste@lists.dep.state.fl.us> 
	Subject: [Pharmwaste] Northfield owner arrested
	
	
	Owner of Northfield drug disposal service now facing charges
	
	Link:
	http://www.startribune.com/local/south/45486592.html?elr=KArksi8cyaiUgOa
	hccyiUiacyKUnciatkEP7DhUs
	
	The owner of a Northfield company that collects outdated, recalled or
	excess pharmaceuticals has been indicted in federal court for allegedly
	diverting prescription drugs for sale on the street.
	
	Mark Andrew Goetz, 40, of Prior Lake, was charged Tuesday with illegally
	distributing Xanax and OxyContin this year. The transactions, both
	during sting operations, involved more than 1,600 tablets, the
	indictment alleges.
	
	Goetz owns Pharmaceutical Returns, a reverse distributor of controlled
	substances that is authorized by the federal Drug Enforcement
	Administration (DEA) to collect the drugs and return them to the
	companies for credit or destroy them at approved incinerators.
	
	According to the indictment:
	
	In January, members of the Metro Gang Strike Task Force learned that
	Goetz was redirecting controlled substances to his drug customers just
	before or shortly after scheduled destructions. Officers set up a sting
	on Jan. 10 at Goetz's home involving 99 tablets of Xanax, an
	anti-anxiety drug. A second "controlled purchase" of 1,274 tablets of
	OxyContin, a painkiller, and 245 tablets of Xanax was conducted by the
	DEA and the task force on May 6 in a south Minneapolis apartment parking
	lot.
	
	Goetz was stopped as he was leaving the parking lot; officers seized a
	small amount of a controlled substance and a laptop computer.
	
	
	
	Jennifer Crittenden, M.S.W.
	Research Associate
	UMaine Center on Aging
	327 Camden Hall
	25 Texas Ave.
	Bangor, Maine 04401-4324
	Telephone: 207-262-7923
	Fax: 207-262-7921
	E-mail:Jennifer.Crittenden at umit.maine.edu <http://us.mc822.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=Jennifer.Crittenden@umit.maine.edu> 
	
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