The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 276 No 7386 p150
4 February 2006

Society summary

Inquiry adjourned for investigation into discrepancy in evidence

An inquiry before the Statutory Committee has been adjourned because of the discovery that evidence appeared to have been tampered with.

The inquiry, which opened on 15 December 2005, concerned John Joseph George Barnes (registration number 62087), of Horsham, West Sussex. Mr Barnes admitted dispensing Picolax sachets against a prescription for MigraMax sachets and failing to deal with the error appropriately when it came to light.

The committee heard that evidence included two copies of a reference from Mr Barnes’s employer. One copy included the sentence: “Despite his disability, Mr Barnes has earned all of our customers’ confidence.” In the other copy, the first three words had been removed.

The chairman, Lord Fraser of Carmyllie, QC, said: “We take very real exception to any reference that has been put before the Statutory Committee being tampered with in any way.”

Giving the committee’s determination, the chairman said that the committee found the misconduct proved but would adjourn the case for three months to find out about the disability, which might have a material bearing on what action by the committee was appropriate.