In the past, citations were issued if a pharmacy didn’t post its license where it could be easily seen or if food or drinks were left out in undesignated areas. Now, those will come with a fine, but not the full disciplinary process.
Terry Horstman is a spokesman for the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.
“Essentially, it’s a re-calibration of our focus. We certainly want to make sure pharmacies don’t have these types of violations, but in the event that they do, they don’t need to spend their time or the department’s time going through the formal disciplinary process.”
He says regulators will spend more time going after offenses like expired medications, diversion of controlled substances, and poor sanitary conditions.
There will be monetary fines attached to the minor infractions. The pilot program will operate for a trial period until August.
