Public Notifications

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, has reached a new Agreement with the pharmacist registrant to amend certain terms in his Agreement of March 6, 2017. The pharmacist registrant is now no longer subject to limits and conditions relating to working alone and the handling, counting, and dispensing of narcotic, controlled, opioid and sedative drugs. All other limits and conditions will remain as part of the new Agreement.

March 6, 2017

(May 26, 2018 - Limits and conditions updated)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Profession Act, has reached a new revised agreement with the pharmacist registrant, whereby the registrant consented to undertakings that include, but are not limited to:

1. Strictly adhering to registrant’s routine medical monitoring program with the institution currently involved in registrant’s care and remaining on the monitoring program for a period of 5 years;

2. Informing all managers and employers with whom registrant gains employment of registrant’s medical condition and the limits and conditions on registrant’s registration pursuant to the Agreement;

3. Registrant will not work alone in a pharmacy setting, meaning that registrant must never be the sole pharmacist in attendance at any time and that there must be another pharmacist or pharmacy assistant or pharmacy staff working with registrant at all times;

4. Registrant will not have access to narcotic-safe or physically process and/or otherwise prepare any prescriptions that require access to the narcotic safe;

5. Registrant will not be involved in any way with ordering supplies of narcotic medications;

6. The registrant will not physically prepare prescriptions for narcotic, controlled, opioid and sedative drugs (including but not limited to barbiturates, benzodiazepines and “z” drugs such as zopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem and the like). In dispensing such prescriptions, the registrant will only be involved in the intake, data entry, computer processing, final check and pharmacist/patient counseling in accordance with the Health Professions Act, Bylaws; for a period of one (1) year, after which this term will be reassessed.

7. The registrant will not dispose or deal with wastage or breakage of or otherwise handle any narcotic, controlled, opioid and sedative drugs (including but not limited to barbiturates, benzodiazepines and “z” drugs such as zopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem and the like); for a period of one (1) year, after which this term will be reassessed.

8. The registrant will not be restricted from acting in the role in registrant’s practice as pharmacy manager or director but he will be restricted from acting in the role in registrant’s practice as a preceptor;

9. The registrant will notify the College, in writing or via e-mail, of:

   1. all changes in his places of employment as a pharmacist
   2. all changes in residential address and phone number; and
   3. all changes in medical provider.

This agreement will remain in place for a minimum of four years from March 6, 2017, following which the registrant will be assessed by a physician to determine whether or not continuation of monitoring is necessary. The name of the registrant has been withheld in accordance with section 39.3(4)(a) of the Health Professions Act for the purposes of not identifying the personal health information of the registrant respecting the condition. The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the undertakings will protect the public.

JUNE 23, 2016
(MARCH 6, 2017 – LIMITS AND CONDITIONS UPDATED)

The Inquiry Committee has reinstated pharmacist registrant’s registration which had previously been suspended for an indefinite period on December 18, 2015. Pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an Agreement with the pharmacist registrant whereby the Registrant consented to undertakings involving regular monitoring for fitness to practice pharmacy. The undertakings include, but are not limited to:

1. Strictly adhering to Registrant’s routine medical monitoring program with the institution currently involved in Registrant’s care and remaining on the monitoring program for a period of 5 years;

2. Informing all managers and employers with whom Registrant gains employment of Registrant’s medical condition and the limits and conditions on Registrant’s registration pursuant to the agreement;

3. Ensuring that all managers and employers with whom Registrant gains employment submits a written statement to the College declaring their awareness of Registrant’s medical condition and the agreement, and how they will accommodate and supervise Registrant working in pharmacy;

4. Registrant will not work alone in a pharmacy setting, meaning that Registrant must never be the sole pharmacist in attendance at any time and that there must be another pharmacist or pharmacy assistant or pharmacy staff working with Registrant at all times;

5. Registrant will not have access to narcotic-safe or physically process and/or otherwise prepare any prescriptions that require access to the narcotic safe;

6. Registrant will not be involved in any way with ordering supplies of narcotic medications;

7. For one (1) year, Registrant will not physically prepare prescriptions for narcotic, controlled, opioid and sedative drugs (including but not limited to barbiturates, benzodiazepines and “z” drugs such as zopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem and the like). In dispensing such prescriptions, the Registrant will only be involved in the intake, data entry, computer processing, final check and pharmacist/patient counseling in accordance with the Health Professions Act, Bylaws; after which this term will be reassessed.

8. For one (1) year, Registrant will document the steps taken for dispensing narcotic and controlled drugs and ensure that Registrant’s peer co-signs the document to show compliance with the restrictions set forth in item 7; after which this term will be reassessed.

9. For one (1) year, Registrant will not dispose or deal with wastage or breakage of or otherwise handle any narcotic, controlled, opioid and sedative drugs (including but not limited to barbiturates, benzodiazepines and “z” drugs such as zopiclone, zaleplon, zolpidem and the like); after which this term will be reassessed.

10. The Registrant will be restricted from acting in the following roles in Registrant’s practice:
    1. an owner or manager of a pharmacy;
    2. a director of a corporation that owns a pharmacy; and
    3. a preceptor;

     

11. The Registrant will notify the College, in writing or via e-mail, of:
    1. all changes in his places of employment as a pharmacist
    2. all changes in residential address and phone number; and
    3. all changes in medical provider.

The agreement will remain in place for a minimum of five years from the date of execution of the Agreement, following which the Registrant will be assessed by a physician to determine whether or not continuation of monitoring is necessary. The name of the Registrant has been withheld in accordance with section 39.3(4)(a) of the Health Professions Act for the purposes of not identifying the personal health information of the Registrant respecting the condition. The Inquiry Committee is satisfied that the undertakings will protect the public.

DECEMBER 18, 2015
(JUNE 23, 2016 – REGISTRATION REINSTATED)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached an agreement with pharmacist registrant to suspend his registration as a pharmacist effective December 18, 2015. The agreement remains in effect until further notice. The Inquiry Committee considers the agreement necessary to protect the public. The registrant's name has been withheld, pursuant to 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act.

Pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an Agreement with Mir Rashid Ali (the “Registrant”) to suspend his registration as a pharmacist for 90 consecutive days commencing July 1, 2018.

The Registrant acknowledged that between January 1, 2013 and May 19, 2015, while he was a director and pharmacist at two different pharmacies and pharmacy manager of one of these pharmacies, many prescriptions at both pharmacies were “late-filed”, meaning that dispensing records for these prescriptions were created on dates later than the dates on which the drugs in question were actually dispensed, contrary to section 35(1) (then s. 21(1)) of the Bylaws to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act. Section 35(1) states that:

A registrant must enter the prescription information and transmit it to PharmaNet at the time of dispensing and keep the PharmaNet patient record current.

The Registrant also acknowledged that during the time period he was pharmacy manager at one pharmacy, many claims were billed on PharmaNet for patients who according to the provincial Discharge Abstract Databased had been admitted to hospital at time of claim, suggesting that these patients may not have received the supplies claimed.

The Inquiry Committee was concerned that the Registrant had previously consented to remedial undertakings to fully comply with legislated practice standards, and he had not done so for this current matter. The Inquiry Committee therefore considered this constituted a “serious matter” pursuant to section 26 of the Health Professions Act, and that the Registrant required serious remediation and deterrence in order to come into compliance.

Pursuant to his Agreement, the Registrant also consented to the following:

• To not be a pharmacy manager and preceptor for a period of two years from the date that his suspension ends;
• To pay a $7,500.00 fine;
• To successfully pass the College’s Jurisprudence Exam;
• To appear before the Inquiry Committee for a verbal reprimand; and
• A Letter of Reprimand on his registration record.

The Inquiry Committee considers this Agreement necessary to protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession. 

Pharmacist Registrant 13 has satisfied the terms of an agreement reached with the Inquiry Committee dated April 18, 2013. Limits and conditions on pharmacist registrant’s registration as a pharmacist have now been removed. The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act.

April 18, 2013
(April 19, 2018 - Limits and Conditions Removed)

The Inquiry Committee has reinstated pharmacist registrant’s registration which had previously been suspended for an indefinite period on December 5, 2012. Pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an agreement with pharmacist registrant to place limits and/or conditions on his registration as a full pharmacist, effective April 18, 2013. This agreement remains in effect until April 18, 2018. The Inquiry Committee considers the agreement necessary to protect the public. The pharmacist registrant's name has been withheld pursuant to 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act.

December 5, 2012
(April 18, 2013 – Registration reinstated) 

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached an agreement with pharmacist registrant to suspend his registration as a pharmacist for an indefinite period pending further disposition by the Inquiry Committee. The Inquiry Committee considers the agreement necessary to protect the public. The pharmacist registrant's name has been withheld pursuant to 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act. 

Patrizia Berra has completed a term of suspension which ended on February 21, 2018, and her registration as a pharmacist has been reinstated as of February 22, 2018. 

December 18, 2017

(February 22, 2018 – Registration reinstated)

Pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (the “College”) reached an agreement by consent with pharmacist registrant Patrizia Berra (the “Registrant”) to suspend her registration as a pharmacist for a period of one month from January 22, 2018 to February 21, 2018.

A member of the public obtained a printout of her PharmaNet record and discovered that the Registrant accessed her PharmaNet record. The Registrant admitted that she did not dispense a medication, provide patient counselling or evaluate a patient’s drug usage when she accessed the patient’s PharmaNet record, and that the access was without consent.

Following investigation, the Inquiry Committee determined that the Registrant inappropriately accessed a PharmaNet record for reasons unrelated to health care and without consent, in contravention of sections 21(2) and 21(3) of the Bylaws to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act, section 71 of the Bylaws to the Health Professions Act, and Standard 4 of the Code of Ethics.

The Inquiry Committee found that this constitutes a “serious matter” and that inappropriate access of personal health information compromises the public’s trust in individual registrants and the pharmacy profession as a whole. Previous complaints considered by the Inquiry Committee have found that even inadvertent and innocuous inappropriate access by a registrant is sufficient for an onerous disposition.

Therefore, the Inquiry Committee and the Registrant agree that the Registrant shall submit a fine of $1,000, suspend her registration for a period of one month, and thereafter appear before a panel of the Inquiry Committee for a verbal reprimand. A letter of reprimand shall be placed on the College register as a permanent record and the College may disclose its contents in response to inquiries regarding the status of the Registrant’s registration. The Inquiry Committee considers this agreement necessary to protect the public.