Final answer:
Pharmacists or pharmacy permit holders must notify the Pharmacist-in-Charge when theft or diversion of medications occurs, particularly controlled substances, due to the high potential for harm and regulatory implications.
Step-by-step explanation:
The pharmacist on duty or pharmacy permit holder must notify the Pharmacist-in-Charge (PIC) if an incident such as theft or diversion of medications occurs. This is especially critical when the theft involves controlled substances, as these medications have a high potential for abuse and can cause significant harm if misused. An example of such an incident could be a healthcare worker struggling with addiction who steals syringes of painkillers to satisfy their addiction, consequently endangering patient safety by replacing them with syringes containing unknown substances. In this scenario, the implications are severe as the patients were later found to be infected with HIV, illustrating the critical importance of timely reporting to the PIC to prevent further harm and to comply with legal and regulatory requirements.