Pharmacy board penalizes two pharmacists after St. Cloud man's death
by Lee Voss, WJON.com

ST. PAUL -- The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy has penalized two pharmacists involved in filling prescriptions over the internet for a St. Cloud man who died. The two worked at a Bemidji pharmacy that acted as a fulfillment center for the internet company Justin Pearson used to obtain pain killers.

Board of Pharmacy Executive Director Cody Wiberg says Robert Paulson and Thomas Kriz did not certify the prescriptions required by state law.  They worked for Market Pharmacy which acted as a clearing house for SOSmeds.com.

Wiberg says Paulson was fined $5000 and put on probation for three years.   Kriz was fined $1000 and put on probation for two years.  He says Kriz' fine was lower because he only worked at the pharmacy for about a month and was in training for a majority of that time.

Justin Pearson died from complications brought on by overdosing on painkillers. He died on Christmas of 2006.

Justin's dad Dan Pearson says they wanted to see people held accountable and also to prevent future deaths from prescription drug abuse.  He says it won't bring Justin back but maybe it will put pharmacists on notice that they could lose their license if they fill prescriptions without the proper certification.

Wiberg says the investigation into Market Pharmacy in Bemidji continues. He says he can't comment on what penalties, if any, the business could incur.

The Board of Pharmacy also penalized two Byron, Minnesota pharmacists who violated state law...a law named after Justin Pearson and designed to require face to face visits between doctors and patients before prescriptions can be filled.