Public Notifications

On a series of occasions during 2015, Chadwick Aaron Robertson (the “Registrant”) made comments to LC, an individual posing as an athlete, about the use of banned drugs and their suitability for the purpose. The Registrant provided LC a training protocol that was never put into operation. Unbeknownst to the Registrant, LC was part of an “undercover” investigation and the Registrant’s meetings and other dealings with LC were being videotaped. An edited version of the footage was ultimately broadcast over the Internet.  The College considers, and the Registrant concedes, that this conduct reflected negatively on the Registrant and the profession of pharmacy in British Columbia. It constitutes professional misconduct, a serious matter pursuant to section 26 of the Health Professions Act. 

For the above conduct, pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached a consent agreement with the Registrant for the following terms and undertakings:

• That the Registrant’s registration as a Full Pharmacist be suspended for a period of six (6) months, to commence on November 22, 2017;
• That the Registrant pay a $10,000.00 fine to the College no later than November 22, 2018;
• That a letter of reprimand be placed permanently on the College’s register;
• That he appear before a panel of the Inquiry Committee for a verbal reprimand;
• That he successfully complete the ProBE Program on Professional/Problem-Based Ethics for healthcare professionals no later than November 22, 2018; and
• That he thoroughly review relevant legislation and complete the College’s Code of Ethics Educational Tutorial and sign declarations acknowledging his understanding and compliance with legislative and ethical requirements.

Elishah Ratansi has satisfied terms of an agreement reached with the Inquiry Committee on July 6, 2015. Limits and conditions on the Elishah Ratansi’s registration as a pharmacist have now been removed.

August 12, 2016

(May 13, 2017 – Limits and conditions removed)

The Registration Committee has reinstated Ms. Ratansi’s registration as a Full/Active Pharmacist, effective August 12, 2016. Pursuant to a Consent Agreement signed on July 6, 2015, Ms. Ratansi agrees to the following limits and conditions on her practice, effective August 12, 2016:

1. Prohibition from acting as a director for 9 months upon return to practice as a Full/Active Pharmacist; and
2. Prohibition from acting as a pharmacy manager for 9 months upon return to practice as a Full/Active Pharmacist.

July 6, 2015

(August 12, 2016 – Registration reinstated)

Pursuant to section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached a Consent Agreement with Ms. Elishah Ratansi, effective July 6, 2015. This was the result of investigations conducted on a pharmacy under the management of Ms. Ratansi where several practice violations were allegedly found.  Also in the course of her employment as a pharmacist at the pharmacy in question, an illegal delivery scheme for transporting controlled substances was allegedly implemented by the management and pharmacy staff.  In light of the Inquiry Committee’s investigation and findings, Ms. Ratansi voluntarily placed her licence on non-practising status since January 1, 2015.  She agreed to the following terms in the Consent Agreement, among others:

1. Suspension of registration as a pharmacist for six consecutive months, effective January 1, 2015. 
2. Prohibition from acting as a director for 9 months upon return to practice as a Full/Active Pharmacist,
3. Prohibition from acting as a pharmacy manager for 9 months upon return to practice as a Full/Active Pharmacist,
4. Notification about this suspension will be published on the College website, pursuant to s. 39.3 of the Health Professions Act.

In the same Consent Agreement, Ms. Ratansi also agreed that she will not repeat the alleged conduct and to thoroughly review the legislation of which she was in breach.

Pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (the “College”) reached a consent agreement with Tyler Joshua Drapeau (the “Registrant”) to suspend his registration as a pharmacist for a period of six months, from April 20, 2017 to October 20, 2017.

After an investigation, the Registrant admitted to practicing outside of his scope by prescribing and dispensing multiple medications to himself and others without a valid prescription. The Registrant prescribed medication to himself over 30 times without any prescription from a physician and inappropriately dispensed medications to himself on various other occasions. In relation to prescribing medications to others, the Registrant prescribed and dispensed azithromycin 26 times without a valid prescription, atavaquone proguanil two times without a valid prescription and doxycycline without a valid prescription. The Registrant listed the wrong prescriber on a prescription and conducted improper adaptations and emergency refills, each not in compliance with the Professional Practice Policies.

The Inquiry Committee determined that the Registrant breached the Code of Ethics – Detailed, Standard 1(b) which states that registrants practice only within the scope of their education, training and competence, Further, the Code of Ethics – Conflict of Interests Standards, Standard 2(e) very narrowly defines that registrants may only dispense medications to themselves in an emergency situation or when another registrant is not readily available.

The Inquiry Committee determined that the Registrant acted outside of scope, that he was not trained to prescribe any of the medications at issue, and that pharmacists in British Columbia do not have authority under legislation or the Code of Ethics to prescribe to themselves.

The Inquiry Committee determined that the Registrant engaged in professional misconduct and unethical conduct in relation to the unauthorized prescribing and dispensing practices, taking into account the gravity of the contraventions listed above and that the volume of practice deficiencies constituted a serious matter.

Prior to reinstatement, the Registrant must:

• Appear before a panel of the Inquiry Committee for a verbal reprimand;
• Successfully complete and pass the College Jurisprudence Exam;
• Submit a fine of $5,000;
• Thoroughly review the relevant legislation and sign a declaration acknowledging his understanding and rigid compliance with those legislative requirements.

The Registrant may not act as a pharmacy manager for a period of three years following reinstatement.

A letter of reprimand will be permanently placed on the College register 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.

Cassandra Elstak-Blackwell has completed a term of suspension which ended on December 14, 2016, and her registration as a pharmacist has been reinstated as of December 15, 2016. 

November 15, 2016

(DECEMBER 14, 2016 - registration reinstated)

Pursuant to section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an agreement with Cassandra Elstak-Blackwell (the “Registrant”) to temporarily suspend her registration as a pharmacist for 30 days, effective November 15, 2016 to December 14, 2016.

On March 12, 2015, a pharmacist at the Registrant’s pharmacy dispensed allopurinol to a patient which interacted with her existing medication, azathioprine. The drug-drug interaction between allopurinol and azathioprine is serious and well-known. On April 3, 2015, the Registrant dispensed refill prescriptions for allopurinol and azathioprine to the patient. These refills were dispensed again the next month on May 29, 2015 by another pharmacist.  In May 2015, the patient began experiencing symptoms of pancytopenia and was admitted to the hospital.  The patient remained in the hospital for 18 days during which she received multiple blood transfusions and required blood tests to determine the cause of her symptoms.

The Inquiry Committee found that the Registrant did not conduct a PharmaNet review, failed to detect the drug-drug interaction and did not provide counseling when she dispensed the medications to the patient.  The Inquiry Committee determined that in the interest of public safety, a 30-day suspension of the Registrant’s licence and educational remediation was appropriate for addressing this incident.  The Registrant has completed her educational requirements to the Inquiry Committee’s satisfaction and is now entering a 30-day suspension period for her licence.  The Inquiry Committee considers this agreement necessary to protect the public.