An attorney critical of the Alabama Board of Pharmacy (ABOP) is calling for its disbandment after a recent report found several instances of "significant issues."
The issues included how the board reported income, over-fining, levying non-specified fees, charging non-licensed entities, meeting minutes that are inconsistent with board actions, violations of Alabama's Open Meetings Act, failure to file oaths of office with the secretary of state's office, failing to deposit receipts promptly, violating the state's open-bidding rules, inaccurate invoicing, overpaying vendors over the contracted amount and unlawfully procuring supplies and services.
Legislators recently scrutinized ABOP at a Sunset Committee hearing.
"There is a ton of issues there, the sheer volume of the findings. Since that Sunset Committee hearing, we have received or I have received emails and phone calls from pharmacists around the state very concerned to say anything on paper (and) afraid of retaliation," State Sen. Keith Kelley (R-Anniston) told Birmingham's ABC 33/40.
Johnny Brooklere, a pharmacist and ABOP member, told the outlet the issues in the report were being addressed.
"Everything the auditor said, everything the Sunset Committee said, everything that the individual citizens said… we're taking to heart and we're trying to address all of those whether they're real or perceived. We're watching every dime that's spent," Brooklere said.
Joseph Kreps, an attorney who has represented pharmacists before ABOP, said he wants the board disbanded.
"It is unbelievable to me that they've gotten away with what they've gotten away with for so long. What I'm advocating for is the board to be disbanded, for the current administration to be removed, for the executive secretary, the attorney, basically all the employees at the board because it's a culture there and so they all need to go," Kreps told ABC 33/40.
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