The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs on March 15 Detroit-based Super Mart Pharmacy's controlled substance license, along with the license of the facility's lead pharmacist, for allegedly overdispensing opioids.
The department identified the pharmacy as the state's top dispenser of oxymorphone and oxycodone for 2016 and 2017, according to Detroit Metro Times. Additionally, 30 percent of patients paid for prescriptions in cash. This rate is three times higher than the state average and suggests prescriptions at the pharmacy may have been filled for illegitimate purposes. The department also found the pharmacy allegedly dispensed dangerous combinations of drugs at once, such as pain medication, muscle relaxers and antianxiety drugs, according to FOX2.
The state served administrative complaints against the pharmacy and lead pharmacist "detailing their alleged dispensing of controlled substances without good faith and a failure to maintain effective controls against the diversion," according to the state department.
LARA's regulatory action comes from its drug monitoring section, which was established after Republican Gov. Rick Snyder launched the state's Prescription Drug and Opioid Abuse Task Force in 2015. The drug monitoring section works to identify and discipline facilities and individuals that overprescribe or overdistribute controlled substances.
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