Public Notifications

The Inquiry Committee has changed the pharmacist registrant’s status to “Full Pharmacist – Active” which had previously been “Full Pharmacist – Suspended” for an indefinite period on December 18, 2020. Pursuant to section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an Agreement with the registrant whereby the registrant consented to terms including, but not limited to, the following:

• To adhere to all steps and comply with all treatment and recovery plans as recommended by their medical provider(s) and/or their most responsible physician(s);
• To comply and complete all terms of the Relapse Prevention Agreement for a duration of three years and with a graduated return to work over a minimum of seven weeks; and 
• To authorize and direct any and all caregivers and treating physicians to provide the College with a report and information that relates to the registrant’s health, recovery, and/or treatment plan pertaining to any health condition what could materially impair the registrant’s performance and/or fitness to practice pharmacy.

The Inquiry Committee considers the Agreement necessary to protect the public. The registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to section 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act.

December 18, 2020

(November 4, 2021 - Suspension Ended)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to section 32.2(4)(b)(ii) of the Health Professions Act, has reached an Agreement with the pharmacist registrant to voluntarily suspend their registration as a pharmacist effective December 18, 2020. The Agreement remains in effect until further notice. The Inquiry Committee considers the Agreement necessary to protect the public. The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to section 39.3(4)(a) of the Health Professions Act.

The Inquiry Committee has approved to change pharmacist’s registration back to Active status after it had previously been suspended for an indefinite period on December 8, 2020. Pursuant to section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an Agreement with the pharmacist registrant whereby the pharmacist registrant consented to terms including, but not limited to, the following:

1. To comply with any and all treatment plans as recommended by their medical providers.
    
2. To comply with any and all return to work plans as advised by their medical providers and/or employers.
    
3. To voluntarily stop working as a pharmacist and self-report to the College in the event that their  medical condition may hinder their performance and/or fitness to practice as a pharmacist.
    
4. To authorize and direct any and all caregivers, treating physicians, and/or institution(s) to furnish the College with a written report and any and all information that relates to their health, including a diagnosis, prognosis, status of recovery and/or treatment plan pertaining to their health condition and recovery, when and if necessary for the College to obtain such information.

The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to section 39.3(4) and (6) of the Health Professions Act.

December 8, 2020

(August 9, 2021 - Registration Reinstated)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to section 32.3(3)(b)(ii) of the Health Professions Act, has reached an Agreement with the pharmacist registrant to voluntarily suspend their registration as a pharmacist effective December 8, 2020. The Agreement remains in effect until further notice. The Inquiry Committee considers the Agreement necessary to protect the public. The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to section 39.3(4)(a) of the Health Professions Act.

1. Nature of Action: The Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (“CPBC”) conducted an investigation into the practice of Wilson Akhahon Odijie (the “Registrant”), pursuant to section 33(4) of the Health Professions Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 183.

   The Inquiry Committee and the Registrant have agreed to resolve all matters arising from the investigation by way of a Consent Agreement under section 36(1) of the  Health Professions Act.

2. Effective date: July 27, 2021

3. Name of registrant: Wilson Akhahon Odijie

4. Location of Practice: Dawson Creek, BC

5. Admissions and acknowledgements:

   The Registrant has admitted and/or acknowledged the following:

   Between May and June 2020, while he was the pharmacy manager and pharmacist, the Registrant sold an unregulated natural health product called Ankoro powder to patients at a BC licensed pharmacy.

   The Inquiry Committee considered that the Registrant’s actions, conduct, and statements in relation to the ethical standards contravened, included the following:

   1. The Registrant did not confirm with Health Canada that the Ankoro powder was regulated or available to purchase in Canada. The Registrant did not purchase the Ankoro powder from a Health Canada approved wholesaler or pharmacy approved distributers.
       
   2. The Registrant did not use evidence-based information to determine if the Ankoro powder was safe or effective. The Registrant did not provide evidence-based information for the patients in this matter to make an informed decision about the purchase, use, and side effects of Ankoro powder.
       
   3. The Registrant sold the Ankoro powder as a regulated healthcare professional in a licensed pharmacy to four pharmacy patients.

6. Disposition:

   The Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the Inquiry Committee of CPBC, wherein the Registrant consented to the following terms:

   1. To not be a pharmacy manager and preceptor for a period of two years commencing on July 27, 2021 until July 26, 2023;

   2. To successfully complete and pass an ethics course for healthcare professionals within six months;

   3. To read and/or successfully complete courses on:

      • Decision making and documentation,

      • Pharmacy inventory,

      • Researching and critically appraising evidence and recognizing high-quality evidence-based literature, and

      • Health Canada’s policies and guidelines for purchasing and selling unscheduled, unregulated products to patients.

   4. To have a Letter of Reprimand placed on his registration record for two years.

7. Rationale:

   The Inquiry Committee considered that by procuring, purchasing, and selling Ankoro powder without evidence-based information as a registered pharmacist at a licensed pharmacy, the Registrant exhibited poor judgement that could undermine patient trust in registrants and society’s trust in the pharmacy profession. As a pharmacist and as a professional, the Registrant is expected to act in a manner consistent with the HPA, Bylaws, Schedule A, Code of Ethics (“Code of Ethics”). His actions did not support his behaviour. The procurement and sale of an unapproved, unregulated product did not protect or promote the health and well-being of his patients. The Registrant’s overall conduct amounted to professional misconduct given the violations of the Code of Ethics Standards.

   The Inquiry Committee considered the Registrant’s conduct to be serious, and that the Registrant required remediation to come into compliance. Therefore, the Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement necessary to protect the public, to prevent and deter the Registrant from similar issues occurring in his future practice, and to send a clear message of deterrence to the profession. 

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached a new agreement with the pharmacist registrant, whereby the registrant consented to undertakings involving regular medical monitoring for fitness to practice pharmacy. The undertakings in the agreement include, but are not limited to the following:

• Informing all managers and employers with whom the registrant gains employment of the registrant’s medical condition and the need to maintain vigilance with respect to recovery and the possibility of relapse, and the limits and conditions on registration pursuant to the agreement;
   
• Ensuring that all managers and employers with whom the registrant gains employment submit a written statement to the College declaring awareness of the registrant’s medical condition and the agreement;
   
• Being restricted from the following roles in practice:
  • Manager of a pharmacy;
  • Direct or indirect owner of a pharmacy; and
  • Preceptor for pharmacy students and/or international pharmacy graduates;
     
• Notifying the College of:
  • all changes in places of employment as a pharmacist;
  • all changes in residential address and phone number; and
  • all changes in medical providers.

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.

March 22, 2021

(June 29, 2021 - Limits and Conditions Updated)

Pharmacist Registrant 9 has satisfied the terms of an agreement reached with the Inquiry Committee dated March 23, 2016. 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.

March 23, 2016

(March 22, 2021 – Limits and conditions removed)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached a new agreement with the pharmacist registrant for an additional five year period until March 23, 2021, whereby the registrant consented to undertakings involving regular medical monitoring for fitness to practice pharmacy. The undertakings in the agreement include, but are not limited to the following:

1. Informing all managers and employers with whom he gains employment of his medical condition and the need to maintain vigilance with respect to recovery and the possibility of relapse, and the limits and conditions on his registration pursuant to the agreement;

2. Ensuring that all managers and employers with whom he gains employment submits a written statement to the College declaring their awareness of his medical condition and the agreement;

3. Being restricted from the following roles in his practice:

   1. an owner or manager of a pharmacy;
   2. a director of a corporation that owns a pharmacy; and
   3. a preceptor.

    

4. Notifying the College 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 providers

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.

August 6, 2015

(March 23, 2016 - Limits and Conditions Updated)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached an agreement with the pharmacist registrant to remove the following undertakings:

4. To return to work gradually, in accordance with the recommendations of his physician;
5. To not work alone for a period of six months after returning to work in a pharmacy setting, meaning that he must never be the sole pharmacist in attendance at any time and that there must be another pharmacist in good standing working with him at all times;
6. Not being involved in the dispensing, ordering, contact, destruction, counting or otherwise handling of opiate and benzodiazepine type medications.

The remainder of the undertakings are in effect until further notice.  The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld in accordance with section 39.3 (4) (a) of the Health Professions Act.

August 19, 2014

(August 6, 2015 – Partial undertakings removed)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, 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. Routine and random medical monitoring;

2. Informing all managers and employers with whom he gains employment of his medical condition and the need to maintain vigilance with respect to recovery and the possibility of relapse, and the limits and conditions on his registration pursuant to the agreement;

3. Ensuring that all managers and employers with whom he gains employment submits a written statement to the College declaring their awareness of his medical condition and the agreement;

4. To return to work gradually, in accordance with the recommendations of his physician;

5. To not work alone for a period of six months after returning to work in a pharmacy setting, meaning that he must never be the sole pharmacist in attendance at any time and that there must be another pharmacist in good standing working with him at all times;

6. Not being involved in the dispensing, ordering, contact, destruction, counting or otherwise handling of opiate and benzodiazepine type medications;

7. Being restricted from the following roles in his practice:

   1. an owner or manager of a pharmacy;
   2. a director of a corporation that owns a pharmacy; and
   3. a preceptor.

    

8. Notifying the College 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 two years of continuous pharmacy practice. 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.

March 15, 2011

(August 19, 2014 – Registration reinstated)

The Inquiry Committee, pursuant to Section 36 of the Health Professions Act, has reached an agreement with the pharmacist registrant to suspend his registration as a pharmacist effective March 15, 2011. The agreement remains in effect until further notice. 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.