Category:
Business
Region:
USA
State:
Colorado
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PHARMACY OWNER IS 1 OF 3 CHARGED
Date: 30-Aug-2007
Author: Sara Burnett
The owner of College Pharmacy in Colorado Springs was indicted Wednesday on charges he bought unregulated human growth hormone from China, then resold it to doctors and patients in the U.S.
Thomas Bader, 63, is named in a 17-count indictment along with sales representative Kevin Henry, 56, and Bradley Blum, 36, a Texas-based pharmaceutical rep who allegedly helped smuggle the illegal drugs.
The pharmacy made $4.1 million off sales of the drug repackaged and sold under its own label, the indictment says.
"The safety of these drugs is questionable at best, and the defendants placed profits ahead of public safety by selling potentially harmful substances," said Larry Sperl, special agent in charge of the federal Food and Drug Administration's Office of Criminal Investigations in Kansas City, Mo.
The FDA has approved human growth hormone for treatment of recognized diseases or medical conditions, but only by prescription. The drug is also used illegally as a steroid.
The FDA has never approved human growth hormone made in or shipped from China, however, because the drug's production is unregulated there.
The indictment says Bader, Henry and College Pharmacy didn't tell customers the drug was from China, and told clients they didn't need FDA approval because the drug was "compounded," or mixed with other drugs in College Pharmacy's laboratories.
Bader and Henry were arrested Tuesday. Bader was ordered held on $1 million bail Wednesday afternoon, although it was not clear late Wednesday whether he had posted bail.
Henry was released on $50,000 unsecured bail. Blum is scheduled to make his initial court appearance today.
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