In a decisive move by the federal court, a Tampa-area pharmacist has been banned from filling prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances. Nathaniel Esalomi, the owner and sole pharmacist at Apexx Pharmacy in Hudson, Florida, was accused of intentional wrongful distribution of powerful opioids and exploiting the addiction crisis for profit. According to a statement from the Department of Justice, Esalomi was involved in filling invalid prescriptions and engaging in fraudulent activities like signature forgery and address falsification.
Esalomi’s actions added fuel to the fire of the opioid epidemic that has, for decades, ravaged communities nationwide. “Medical professionals who knowingly facilitate the abuse of opioids violate their legal obligations,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate was quoted when discussing the case, as per the Department of Justice website. To egregiously participate in this crisis has not only legal ramifications but also severe ethical breaches that could swiftly dissolve trust in the medical profession. The DEA was particularly vocal about the epidemic’s impact, with Special Agent in Charge Deanne L. Reuter stating approximately 70 percent of all drug overdose deaths in America involve opioids, a battle still raging since the mid-1990s.
The case against Esalomi settled with a consent judgment that includes a hefty civil penalty and the permanent dissolution of Apexx Pharmacy. On top of the ban on distributing controlled substances, Esalomi is to pay $10,000 of a $500,000 suspended civil penalty. The enforcement of this judgment signifies a staunch effort by authorities to prevent further harm to the public. The crackdown on Esalomi’s operations sends a clear message: compliance with the Controlled Substances Act is not optional…