A pharmacist who rummaged through the bin used to return unwanted medicines has been deregistered after taking away 11 prescription capsules.
Chun Wah Wong's conduct and subsequent explanations demonstrated "a disturbing lack of honesty and truthfulness in the practice of his profession", a NSW tribunal has found.
His explanation for being overheard saying "why would I do that when I can get them for free" was a reference to a Netflix show, which he could download illegally rather than pay for it.
And one explanation for removing the drugs was to have them on hand to aid his sleep due to an increased workload at the pharmacy.
Wong, first registered as a pharmacist in 2017 after studying at the University of Sydney, was sacked from Bowens Pharmacy Wyoming on the Central Coast in January 2020.
The Civil and Administrative Tribunal on Friday found him guilty of professional misconduct.
His registration was cancelled and he can't apply for a review for two years.
Evidence included CCTV footage and the observations of a colleague.
He was seen rummaging through a "RUM bin", provided as part of the commonwealth government's Return Unwanted Medicines Project to address their safe disposal.
He took a dose-aid roll containing 11 yellow and white 300mg capsules of the prescription-only drug, pregabalin.
He cut slits into the roll, removed the capsules with tweezers and put them into a pill container that he returned to his backpack.
Wong's subsequent explanations included claiming to have destroyed the drugs and to have returned them to another pharmacy.
He also said "what I did was just due to a prudent act of having some medications on hand just in case to aid my sleep in order to cater for the increased workload required by your employer".
"I have no time to consult a doctor, but feeling the comfort to have some medications on hand just in case, in order to better function my duty as a pharmacist".
In also finding he was not competent to practise, the tribunal noted he failed to attend a medical examination as directed by the Pharmacy Council.
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- Australian Associated Press
