WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 2020

WHAT SHOULD PHARMACIES DO IF THEY SUSPECT THAT A SUPPLIER IS PRICE GOUGING?  Board staff have received messages from some pharmacists concerned about offers for sale of medication or supplies (including, especially, personal protective equipment (PPE)) at prices that beggar belief.  Crises bring out the absolute best in a lot of folks. Unfortunately, there are always folks who are less, let's say, public-minded in time of crisis.  Other adjectives come to mind, but you get the point.  North Carolina has a strong price-gouging statute that operates during emergency declarations.  Attorney General Josh Stein is aggressively enforcing it.  Effective enforcement, though, depends on reporting from those suspicious of price gouging behavior.  The Attorney General's COVID-19 resource page includes information on how to report suspected price gouging https://ncdoj.gov/covid19/. Any pharmacy, pharmacist, or DME supplier who suspects this behavior is strongly encouraged to contact the Attorney General's office.