A pharmacist addicted to sleeping pills just got in the bowl

Photo Martin Alarie
Trong Thu-An-Ngo
Pharmacist

Héloïse Archambault

Tuesday, 5 December 2017 20:59

UPDATE
Tuesday, 5 December 2017 20:59

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A pharmacist with a Montreal dependent of sleeping pills has acknowledged to be autoprescrit forged prescriptions and have purchased illegally, in cash, jars of 500 tablets without a prescription.

“This is a big error of judgement on my part, I sincerely regret it,” testified the pharmacist Trong Thu-An-Ngo, in front of the Ordre des pharmaciens du Québec (OPQ), last month.

“Now, I understand the magnitude of the problem that I had,” she added.

Professional since 2005, the latter has pleaded guilty to 13 counts of infringement filed against it. Between 2008 and 2016, she has admitted to having a problem of consumption of zopiclone, a sleeping drug she was taking for sleep.

Over 7000 tablets

According to a compilation by the trustee, Ms. Ngo has provided 7500 tablets between 2012 and 2016, an average of five per day. However, the maximum recommended dosage is one pill per day.

“It took two zopiclone tablets at bedtime. A few hours later, she took the other two, and still two others if she woke up, ” explained the trustee Pierre-Marc Déziel.

To note that Ms. Ngo did not eat when she was working. According to the complaint, the pharmacist, who in the thirties was autoprescrit false orders, and made false claims to the insurer.

Since 2010, Ms. Ngo was hired by the pharmacist Spyridon Koutsouris, which is cancelled of the Order from December 2016. Last October, he was found guilty of 108 heads of offence, including for claims of illegal and false entries.

It is in the context of this previous investigation that the trustee has discovered abnormalities in the case of Ms. Ngo.

Purchase of 1600 tablets

In 2016, the pharmacist has bought illegally three jars of 500 tablets (and another 100 pills) directly to Mr. Koutsouris. She paid for the medication in cash, so that she did not have a prescription.

According to the trustee, Ms. Ngo has resorted to this ploy after the beginning of the investigation of the OPQ.

“She was no longer comfortable to do renewals in the folder […] she knew that I was investigating the situation,” explained Mr. Déziel.

In addition, she has used the number the prescriber of Mr. Koutsouris in his personnel file.

Met in January 2016, Ms. Ngo has first provided false information. At a third meeting in December of 2016, she has ” admitted to having lied “, and that she had a substance abuse problem, says Mr. Déziel.

“Once I decided to tell the truth, it went well,” said the pharmacist.

“It was like a wake up call […] I learned a lot of things. “

For the past year, Ms. Ngo follows a therapy, and does not consume more sleeping pills.

The two parties have recommended a suspension of one year. Without employment, she had no disciplinary record.