May 11--A Chicago-area oncologist has agreed to relinquish her medical license to settle charges by state officials that she used nonapproved and misbranded cancer drugs on her patients between 2008 and 2012.
In an agreement to defer prosecution by the Federal Drug Administration, Ann Kinnealey admitted she bought and dispensed nearly $1 million in illegal cancer drugs obtained through a Canadian supplier, despite FDA notifications dating back to 2009.
The settlement with the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, reached April 21, follows an earlier suspension of her medical licenses by the state.
"We entered into an agreement with Dr. Kinnealey to relinquish her controlled substance license as well as her physician and surgeon license in Illinois," said Terry Horstman, a spokesman for the state regulatory agency. "That means she will no longer be able to practice medicine or prescribe controlled substances within Illinois."
Kinnealey, 68, who practiced in Evanston, was notified in 2009 that shipments of nonapproved cancer drugs she purchased were detained and not admitted into the U.S. However, she continued to purchase and administer the nonapproved drugs to her patients through 2012, according to an FDA investigation.
The drugs were purchased from Quality Specialty Products, a pharmaceutical wholesaler owned by Canada Drugs, according to the FDA. The company also sells discount prescriptions to U.S. consumers through its website, CanadaDrugs.com. In 2012, Canada Drugs was associated with the sale of counterfeit Avastin, a lifesaving cancer drug, according to the FDA.
In February 2012, the FDA notified 19 medical practices, including Kinnealey's, to stop using counterfeit product and other unapproved cancer medicines obtained from QSP.
