A fourth pharmacist has been struck off the register as a result of a BBC exposé into illegal sales of prescription medicines in London pharmacies.

Murtaza Noorali Mohamedali Gulamhusein, registration number 2029954, was filmed overseeing sales of diazepam, temazepam and Viagra without a prescription in a BBC Inside Out investigation that aired in December 2012, the General Pharmaceutical Council’s (GPhC’s) fitness-to-practise committee heard at a hearing on June 14. 

The GPhC accepted that Mr Gulamhusein was of "good character" and had enjoyed a long career in pharmacy.

But it stressed that he had "blatantly failed to comply with his responsibilities".

Undercover investigation

In September 2012, the BBC sent an Arabic-speaking undercover operative into Curie Pharmacy – which Mr Gulamhusein owns – on Edgware Road, London. Mr Gulamhusein asked a pharmacy student who was working at the time to speak to the operative in Arabic, because the student was fluent in the language, the GPhC heard.

Under Mr Gulamhusein's supervision, the student sold 28 tablets of diazepam 5mg and four tablets of Viagra 100mg to the operative, who did not have a prescription.

The GPhC noted that secretly-recorded footage of the transaction shows Mr Gulamhusein making reference to the “need for a prescription”, but it stressed that he did not subsequently bring the transaction to a close, and never asked the reporter if he had a prescription.

The regulator stressed that the student would not have made the sale of “his own volition”. Although Mr Gulamhusein had been on the telephone for some of the transaction, the GPhC rejected his assertion that he was unaware it was taking place.

Further sales

The undercover operative returned to the pharmacy later that month, and requested Viagra and temazepam.

The GPhC noted that Mr Gulamhusein appeared to indicate to the operative that he would be able to make the sale once his colleague – another pharmacist – had left the premises. The operative returned to the store once the colleague had left and Mr Gulamhusein made the sale.

"Deep" regrets

The regulator accepted that there had been no further complaints about Mr Gulamhusein’s conduct since these transactions, and that he has made contributions to his community “over many years”. He has also undertaken “considerable” charity work, it noted.

Overlapping investigations

While it branded some of the evidence from the BBC investigation "unsatisfactory", it rejected Mr Gulamhusein's claim that the investigation was compromised because it overlapped with a separate investigation by the Sunday Times into his pharmacy.

The GPhC noted that Mr Gulamhusein had accepted and “deeply regretted” his actions for the harm they had caused to the profession.

But it highlighted the "speed and casual manner with which the transactions took place" and stressed that harm could have been caused to patients as a result.

It concluded that Mr Gulamhusein had shown a "blatant and complete disregard for legislation", and ruled to remove him from the register.

Read the full determination here.

What do make of the ruling?

We want to hear your views, but please express them in the spirit of a constructive, professional debate. For more information about what this means, please click here to see our community principles and information