Expunging Board of Pharmacy Disciplinary Actions

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Law
• Professional Regulation

Background:

• Boards of pharmacy possess disciplinary authority over licensees.
• Disciplinary actions, including suspension, revocation, and fines, are typically permanent.
• Licensees face consequences for falling below established practice standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the emergence of expungement pathways for disciplinary actions against pharmacy licensees.
• To highlight variations in expungement criteria across states.
• To consider the future regulatory landscape for pharmacists.

Main Methods:

• Review of state regulations and statutes pertaining to pharmacy board disciplinary actions.
• Analysis of existing expungement provisions in at least four states.
• Comparative assessment of eligibility criteria and timelines for expungement.

Main Results:

• A minimum of four states have established mechanisms for expunging pharmacy board disciplinary records.
• Significant variations exist among these states regarding which violations are eligible for expungement and the timeframe for such requests.
• Disciplinary actions are generally recorded permanently unless expungement is granted.

Conclusions:

• The concept of expungement for pharmacy disciplinary actions is a developing regulatory approach.
• Increased consideration of expungement pathways by more state boards of pharmacy is anticipated.
• Expungement offers a potential avenue for licensees to address past disciplinary actions under specific conditions.