DEA revoked Awesome Care Pharmacy's DEA registration effective October 16, 2024, after finding it dispensed dangerous controlled substance combinations to four patients over two years without resolving multiple red flags of abuse and diversion.

Awesome Care Pharmacy, Inc. — DEA Revocation (2024)

Outcome: DEA revoked Awesome Care Pharmacy's DEA registration effective October 16, 2024, finding that the pharmacy dispensed dangerous combinations of controlled substances to four patients over a two-year period without resolving multiple red flags indicative of abuse and diversion.

A DEA Administrative Law Judge hearing before ALJ Paul E. Soeffing resulted in a Recommended Ruling, Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law, and Decision issued on February 6, 2024, recommending revocation of the pharmacy's registration. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram signed the final Decision and Order on September 10, 2024, which was published in the Federal Register on September 16, 2024.

The evidence established that Awesome Care Pharmacy, Inc. repeatedly dispensed dangerous combinations of controlled substances that posed serious risks to patients without first resolving blatant red flags of drug abuse and diversion. The pharmacy dispensed these combinations to four patients over a two-year period. Dr. Okpala, the pharmacist identified in the proceeding, failed to acknowledge the dangers of concurrent prescriptions for opioids and benzodiazepines — a combination that can produce respiratory depression, sedation, coma, and death.

The Administrator found that the pharmacist's failure to acknowledge the danger of these drug combinations indicated the pharmacy could not be trusted to safely dispense controlled substances. DEA denied any pending applications to renew or modify the registration, as well as any other pending applications for additional registration in Texas. The order became effective October 16, 2024.

Primary Source: Awesome Care Pharmacy, Inc.; Decision and Order (Fed. Reg. Sep. 16, 2024)