Healthcare professionals registered by the DEA are authorized to purchase and administer controlled substances. Those who actually do order the drugs, are bound by the DEA rules and regulations when it comes to safeguarding these medications. In New York, the providers who order controlled substances must not only provide secure storage for the drugs, but also notify the DEA about the address of the storage facility and the address where the drugs would be available for inspection.
It is important to keep a track of the employees with access to the controlled substances storage places. Registered providers who order controlled substances are responsible for safe keeping them, as are employees at the managerial level. If you are responsible for keeping controlled substances, you are not allowed to delegate that duty to others.
In our practice we encountered numerous situations were poor safety procedures, uncontrolled access to medications by a large number of staff, and poor accounting practices resulted in loss of theft of controlled substances, leading to criminal and administrative investigations and penalties. For example, once the theft is reported to the DEA, either the DEA Office of Diversion or the NYS Dept. of Health Bureau of Controlled Substances will launch an investigation and will later decide whether the case should proceed administratively or criminally.
If you are accused of drug diversion or theft or have any other legal issue concerning controlled substances, call our New York professional license defense lawyers at (212) 577-6677 today for an immediate consultation.
