KAILUA-KONA — Nine months after a Honalo physician was arrested by the state’s Narcotics Enforcement Division and then released pending investigation, the state has yet to announce any charges in the case.
KAILUA-KONA — Nine months after a Honalo physician was arrested by the state’s Narcotics Enforcement Division and then released pending investigation, the state has yet to announce any charges in the case.
Meanwhile, the Hawaii State Board of Pharmacy today will consider a “guidance document” to help pharmacists when it comes to their legal responsibilities when it comes to evaluating and filling prescriptions — including what to do if a doctor is arrested but not charged as happened in Honalo.
Law enforcement arrested Dr. Clif Arrington on March 17 and then released him without charges.
Toni Schwartz, a spokeswoman for the division, said at the time they were investigating violations of the State Controlled Substances Act and the case remained under investigation.
Wednesday, Schwartz said the investigation is still ongoing and there were no new developments.
Arrington’s attorney, Robert Kim, wasn’t able to speak about the case.
Arrington’s professional license, however, continues to be listed as “current, valid and in good standing,” according to the Professional and Vocational Licensing Division under the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.
After Arrington’s arrest and release, several local pharmacists stopped filling the doctor’s prescriptions, as reported in West Hawaii Today. That meant patients were denied their medication for conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.
That issue eventually came before the state pharmacy board, who set to work on addressing the situation should it happen elsewhere across the state.
Wednesday, Lee Ann Teshima, executive officer for the Hawaii State Board of Pharmacy, said they’ve been working closely with the Narcotics Enforcement Division to create guidelines to help pharmacists.
The guidelines, which she said should be finalized at today’s meeting on Oahu, would inform pharmacists on what they should look out for, recognizing red flags and pharmacists’ responsibilities in filling prescriptions.
“I feel confident this guidance document will help pharmacists,” she said.
The document doesn’t specifically address Arrington or any other physician. Instead, it will give pharmacists a checklist in determining when they can and when they shouldn’t fill a prescription.
It also answers several frequently asked questions about scenarios that might give pharmacists pause before filling a prescription.
Teshima said pharmacists had raised concern that filling prescriptions for a prescriber who had been arrested could land them in trouble with authorities.
However, Teshima said, as long as the prescription meets all the requirements as to its validity and the prescriber holds a valid registration with the Narcotics Enforcement Division, they can go ahead and fill the prescription.
“If it’s missing something or not a valid prescription, they won’t fill it,” she said.
That’s no different from usual, she said, given that pharmacists have a professional obligation to verify any prescription.
The guidance was a joint effort between the Hawaii State Board of Pharmacy and the NED.
Once the board finalizes the document, she said, she plans to share it with the Board of Nursing and Hawaii Medical Board.
“I want to just get it out there,” she said. “I just need something out there so the pharmacists can utilize.”