If you’re a pharmacist, you have an important job to do and many people to help. Because your job is such a critical one, with the very real possibility of affecting lives, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this is a career field that is tightly regulated and subjected to a significant amount of oversight.
When you became a pharmacist, you had to apply to the Texas State Board of Pharmacy to get your license. Your involvement with this regulatory body is not done once you’ve been licensed. The TSBP will handle any complaints against you, and when you have been notified that they have received a complaint you need to take it seriously.
What do you need to do when you receive notice about a complaint? You need to talk to a medical license defense attorney.
How the TSBP Handles Complaints
Anyone can file a complaint against you in writing, and the TSBP takes all complaints seriously. It will first evaluate the complaint to figure out if they have jurisdiction here. Generally, the board does not investigate complaints about customer service or pricing. This is not their concern. However, if the complaint is about something else and it is under their jurisdiction, then the investigation process begins.
An investigator will begin to gather evidence against you, and it’s at this point that you are usually first informed of the complaint that has been filed. If the investigator determines that you have done something wrong and that the complaint is valid, there are two possibilities. They could issue a verbal or written warning, or you may have to attend an informal settlement conference, or ISC.
An ISC gives a pharmacist a chance to show that they were following the law in front of a panel of TSBP staff. At this stage, the complaint could be dismissed, a formal warning could be issued, or the board can recommend sanctions. Depending on the outcome, a case may end here or continue to a public hearing conducted by an administrative law judge.
At every stage you are given the right to defend yourself, but you do not have to form a defense on your own. An attorney can help you.
How to Respond
You need to think carefully about how you respond. The complaint against you can easily result in punishments from the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, including:
- Suspension or revocation of your license
- Public censure
- Fines
It’s wise to protect yourself from any of these outcomes. Once you have received notice of the complaint, an investigator has already been gathering evidence against you. You are at a disadvantage, but you do not have to stay at a disadvantage.
Instead, you can hire a pharmacy license defense attorney. The TSBP has their own team of lawyers and investigators. They can work with other state agencies and quickly gather information about you. Making sure that you have someone on your side is prudent and can help you protect your career and reputation.
Your lawyer will help you make an official response to the initial complaint. They will help you gather evidence that shows that you were following laws and regulations. They will advocate on your behalf at every stage of the investigation, from the beginning of the inquiry to the hearing in front of an administrative law judge.
Hiring a License Defense Attorney
There is no reason to go it alone. Instead, respond to any complaint by the TSBP by hiring a pharmacy license defense attorney from BERTOLINO LLP and begin forming your defense. Call our Austin law office at (512) 476-5757 and schedule your case evaluation today.
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