Ban for ice-pipe import

A WESTERN Australian pharmacist has been reprimanded and disqualified from reapplying for registration, for two months for her role in the illegal importation of 150 “ice-pipes”, following a state Administrative Tribunal hearing.

The Pharmacy Board of Australia said Cathy Nguyen’s conviction for importing and aiding or abetting the importation of the pipes into Australia constituted professional misconduct.

The Tribunal noted Nguyen pleaded guilty to the charges relating to the incidents which occurred on or around 07 and 12 Mar 2016, accepting she imported 100 ice-pipes into the country and aided the importation of a further 50.

A statement the Board noted Nguyen was fined a total of $10,000 in relation to the two offences.

The Tribunal found Nguyen had failed to comply with conduct statement 1.1 of the Board’s Code of Conduct for Pharmacists 2014, by breaching the law, conduct statement 1.2 of the Code, which required her to protect and promote the health of individuals and the community, and statement 8.1 of the Code, in that she failed to display a standard of behaviour that warrant the trust and respect of the community.

The Tribunal noted that Nguyen had no prior disciplinary or criminal history, and had demonstrated remorse for her conduct, which occurred outside of her practise as a pharmacist.

Nguyen admitted that her conduct constituted professional misconduct and was reprimanded and disqualified from re-applying for registration as a pharmacist for two months.

She was also ordered to pay $500 towards the Board’s costs of applying to the Tribunal.