Californian who supplied unapproved chemo drugs to Missouri doc is sentenced

ST. LOUIS A California woman who helped supply unapproved foreign chemotherapy drugs to U.S. Doctors was sentenced Friday to five years of probation and 200 hours of community service, prosecutors said.

Sandra L. Behe, 44, of La Jolla, pleaded guilty March 1 to a felony charge of introducing adulterated prescription drugs into interstate commerce and admitted that she was involved in the shipment of chemotherapy drugs that were not stored or shipped properly.

At the time, Behe worked for Ban Dune Marketing Inc. of La Jolla. Owner James R. Newcomb, 61, also of La Jolla, Calif., pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiring to distribute adulterated prescription drugs and admitted that the company distributed unapproved prescription medication from Jan. 1, 2008, to May 18, 2011. He is set for sentencing July 6.

Dr. Abid Nisar, 60, who has offices in Florissant, East St. Louis and Granite City, pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of introducing misbranded prescription drugs into interstate commerce. Nisar admitted buying $352,504 worth of drugs from Newcomb and Behe.

Nisar was sentenced last month to two years of probation, 200 hours of community service and a $25,000 fine. He also agreed to pay back more than $1 million for submitting false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for reimbursement of the cancer drugs as part of a civil settlement. Nisar is ineligible to participate in the government health insurance programs for seven years.

The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation has suspended Nisar's medical license. Missouri officials last week filed a complaint seeking to discipline him as well.

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Californian who supplied unapproved chemo drugs to Missouri doc is sentenced