📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Pharmacy Council Ghana
Crime
Pharmacy licence cancelled as unaccounted psychotropic drugs uncovered
✍️ Live Law
🗓 02 Sep 2026, 10:37 PM
👁 52
The Drug Control Authority has revoked a pharmacist’s licence after investigations revealed missing psychotropic medicines that could not be accounted for.
The State Drug Control Department announced the cancellation of a pharmacist’s licence after a routine audit uncovered a discrepancy in the inventory of psychotropic medicines. Officials said the audit revealed a significant quantity of controlled substances that could not be traced to any legitimate stock records.
The pharmacist attempted to justify the shortfall by claiming the missing drugs were part of a separate, unrecorded batch intended for disposal. However, the regulator rejected this explanation, noting that all psychotropic drugs must be logged in accordance with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and any deviation is a serious violation.
Authorities have warned that such lapses not only breach regulatory norms but also pose a risk of diversion into illegal channels. The licence revocation is accompanied by a formal notice for the pharmacist to appear before the disciplinary board, where further penalties, including possible prosecution, may be considered.
The department reiterated its commitment to stringent monitoring of controlled substances and urged all pharmacies to maintain transparent records to prevent misuse and ensure public safety.
The pharmacist attempted to justify the shortfall by claiming the missing drugs were part of a separate, unrecorded batch intended for disposal. However, the regulator rejected this explanation, noting that all psychotropic drugs must be logged in accordance with the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and any deviation is a serious violation.
Authorities have warned that such lapses not only breach regulatory norms but also pose a risk of diversion into illegal channels. The licence revocation is accompanied by a formal notice for the pharmacist to appear before the disciplinary board, where further penalties, including possible prosecution, may be considered.
The department reiterated its commitment to stringent monitoring of controlled substances and urged all pharmacies to maintain transparent records to prevent misuse and ensure public safety.