From Trussville Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM – A pharmacy tech from Bessemer has been charged for tampering with vials of opioid painkillers that were meant for intravenous fluid bags for hospice patients, according to a statement by Jay E. Town, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.
Johnathan William Click, 30, of Bessemer was an employee of ContinuumRx in Birmingham. He was accused of removing morphine sulfate and hydromorphone hydrochloride from vials that would be used for palliative treatment of hospice patients between December 2014 and September 2016. Click would replace the drugs with saline or sterile water.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s statement, Click was an opioid addict and would take the drugs for his own use.
“This defendant was willing to subject terminal cancer patients to intolerable pain in order to feed his own addiction,” Town said. “This is one more aspect of the epidemic problem America has with abuse of prescription opioids. It also is a testament to law enforcement’s commitment to fight the illegal diversion of these drugs. In this case, people who desperately needed the prescribed drugs for their intended purpose of controlling intense and prolonged pain instead suffered at the hands of a man who knew the misery he could cause.”
Town’s statement said that the maximum penalty for tampering with consumer products is ten years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Click will have to appear before a federal judge to formally plead guilty. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration and the Alabama Board of Pharmacy.
20 Comments
Kathy Sills
Prison
Kristie Hall Reagan
Absolutely cruel to do such a thing!
Lauren Danielle Smith
That is the most cruel thing I have heard in a very long time.
Cecilia Wall Hall
You would think ContinuumRx would require drug testing for their employees.
Christin Mize Knight
Whoa
Lara Smizer Walden
Sally Pritchett Smizer –wow
Sally Pritchett Smizer
Addicts have concerns only for the habit. Thankfully he was caught before depriving another terminal patient.
Sally Pritchett Smizer
They do. Addicts always find a way around that.
Lara Smizer Walden
Yeah, I know. Just think those patients that didn’t receive their medicine… that breaks my heart.
Cecilia Wall Hall
Sally Pritchett Smizer – I guess so…very sad.
Brianne Scott
Ronda Castillo
Ronda Castillo
Wow… some people are just terrible
Shelia Carpenter
Special place in hell for this person !
Arlene Sanders
So Cruel those people Needed Pain medicine and I hope you NEVER can even work in a Pharmacy or Near a Sick person Your Sorry piece crap
Fayne Love Howle
I agree with Shelia!
Joan Wade Carroll
This makes me so sad.
Jan Clower Humphries
It’s horrible!
JoAnn Headrick Crim
Very sad!
Karen Everett
If that had been my mom or dad he took pain medication from, I might would have needed bail money
Lara Smizer Walden
I know what you mean!