Mercury Ambulance Service, Inc. (Rural/Metro) Agrees To Pay $40,000 Fine To Settle Allegations Of Violations Of The Federal Controlled Substances Act

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Mercury Ambulance Service, Inc. (MAS), d/b/a Rural/Metro, has voluntarily reached an agreement today, with the United States of America, to pay $40,000 to settle allegations that it violated the federal Controlled Substances Act, announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

According to the settlement agreement, the United States contends that MAS failed to maintain accurate records concerning the acquisition, administration, transfer and disposal of controlled substances as required by persons who dispense legally-produced drugs, as required among other things, by the Controlled Substances Act.

Specifically, the settlement states that on February 16, 2012, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Office of Diversion Control conducted an investigation of MAS and noted seven alleged violations. Among those noted by the investigation were a failure by MAS to report the theft of morphine to DEA within one business day of discovery, and a failure by MAS to prevent further diversion of controlled substances by failing to provide effective controls and procedures to guard against theft and diversion. Other alleged violations included the failure to complete or failure to properly complete DEA forms, and failure by MAS to complete a biennial inventory and to produce required records for an audit period.

This agreement is neither an admission of liability by Mercury Ambulance Service nor a concession by the United States that its claims regarding the covered conduct are not well-founded.

This investigation was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin S. Schecter and was investigated by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Regulatory Affairs, Office of Criminal Investigations.