Louisville, KY – Century Pharmacy, Inc., doing business as Century Medicines of Elizabethtown, has agreed to pay $100,000 to resolve allegations that it failed to satisfy recordkeeping requirements of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).
Century Medicines of Elizabethtown, KY, which is no longer in operation, was registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a retail pharmacy. It was authorized to dispense controlled substances pursuant to provisions of the CSA. The CSA requires that each registered pharmacy maintain complete and accurate records of each controlled substance it receives and dispenses or otherwise discards. These requirements help ensure that controlled substances are properly managed, accounted for, and available for legitimate needs, and not diverted for illegal purposes. Failure to keep proper records subjects DEA registrants to civil monetary penalties.
According to the settlement agreement, between 2016 and 2020, Century Medicines could not account for dispensing or disposing of approximately 85,000 tablets of hydrocodone and oxycodone that it purchased and received. Century Medicines self-reported to DEA a suspected discrepancy between tablets received and dispensed or disposed of, and it cooperated with the investigation. It did not concede liability, but it agreed to pay $100,000 to settle all claims related to the alleged conduct.
“This investigation and settlement agreement confirms our commitment to enforcing the CSA,” said Michael A. Bennett, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky. “In partnership with the DEA we will continue to aggressively investigate and pursue violations of the Act throughout the Western District.”
“Improper record keeping can contribute to the diversion of pharmaceuticals and the DEA takes these matters very seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, of the DEA’s Louisville Division. “DEA registrants have an obligation to comply with the Controlled Substances Act or face severe penalties, as evidenced by this case.”
The resolutions obtained in this matter were the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
This case was investigated by the DEA Louisville Division Diversion Program under the leadership of Special Agent in Charge J. Todd Scott, the Kentucky State Police, and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of Inspector General.
Western District of Kentucky Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy D. Thompson assisted in the oversight of the investigation and represented the United States in the settlement agreement.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
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