Former Kansas City pharmacist Robert Courtney has entered guilty pleas to 20 counts of diluting and tampering with chemotherapy drugs. Through a plea agreement, Courtney admits to tampering, adulteration, and misbranding of several drugs – including Taxol and Gemzar – for 34 patients on 158 separate occasions. In addition, he admits to diluting and tampering with the drugs Platinol and Paraplatin on an unspecified number of occasions. Sentencing will come later. Courtney will receive a sentence of no less than 17 years and 6 months without parole, but could get a sentence of 30 years without parole. If the court rejects the sentencing range, Courtney will have the opportunity to withdraw the guilty pleas.
