Public Notifications

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

   The Inquiry Committee and the Former 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: January 7, 2021

3. Name of registrant: Rina Serjeant

4. Location of Practice: N/A

5. Admissions and Acknowledgements:

   Multiple registrants were involved in this matter.

   The College’s investigation found that between January 2012 and June 2018, over 20,000 false transactions were processed on patient PharmaNet records at two pharmacies, where the Registrant had worked as a pharmacy manager at one of the pharmacies. These transactions were considered false because:

   • Schedule I (prescription) medications associated with these transactions had not been authorized or prescribed by the prescriber associated with each transaction;
   • Medications associated with these transactions, which included Schedule I, Over-The-Counter (“OTC) medications and vitamins, were not actually dispensed to the “patient” in each case;
   • Transactions were processed as one-day supplies or seven-day supplies, for the sole purpose of artificially inflating prescription counts; and
   • Transactions were processed not for the purpose of providing health care and were not processed with each patient’s voluntary consent.

   
   The College’s investigation also found that during the same time period, over 10,000 transactions were processed on patient PharmaNet records for medications that were actually authorized but processed as one-day supplies or seven-day supplies when there was no clinical indication to do so. The medications for these transactions were not actually dispensed to the patient on a daily or weekly basis, making each patient’s PharmaNet records inaccurate and not current. These transactions were processed in this manner for the sole purpose of artificially inflating prescription counts.

   The “patients” whose PharmaNet records were affected were all either current or former employees of the two pharmacies, or family members of former employees of the two pharmacies. Reportedly, the owner of the two pharmacies had directed for transactions to be processed in the above manner in order to artificially inflate prescription counts at both pharmacies.

6. The Registrant's Involvement and Acknowledgements:

   Regarding the Former Registrant’s involvement in this matter, the Inquiry Committee considered it substantiated, and the Former Registrant has acknowledged, that:

   1. On the PharmaNet record of her colleague, her name was associated with false PharmaNet transactions for vitamins and supplements, as the “prescriber” of these vitamins and supplements. The Former Registrant’s signature was on the prescription hardcopies of these transactions, meaning that she had checked these prescriptions before the hardcopies had been filed away;

   2. The majority of these transactions had been backdated, meaning that the transaction records were created on a date later than the date that appears on PharmaNet. The Former Registrant’s signature appeared on the prescription hardcopies of the backdated transactions, meaning that she knew, or ought to have known, that the transactions had been backdated;

   3. She processed medications on PharmaNet for herself;

   4. She enabled the inappropriate use of personal health information and the creation of inaccurate PharmaNet records, placing her colleague at risk of harm, in case their PharmaNet record ever needed to be accessed for legitimate medical reasons;

   5. She failed to report to the College or to another person of authority regarding the improper practices occurring at the pharmacy, even though she knew that these practices were improper; and

   6. As pharmacy manager, she enabled the false transactions on patient PharmaNet records, did not set or enforce policies and procedures at the pharmacy to ensure compliance with practice standards, and did not actively participate in the day-to-day management of the pharmacy.

7. Disposition

   The Former Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the College’s Inquiry Committee, wherein the Registrant consented to the following terms (in part):

   1. To pay a $3000.00 fine;
       
   2. To have a letter of reprimand placed permanently on the College register;
       
   3. If she reinstates her registration to Full Pharmacist status, upon reinstatement:
       
      1. To successfully complete and pass an ethics course for healthcare professionals within two years. If she fails to complete this within the specified time period, her registration will be suspended for a period of 60 days;
          
      2. To appear before the Inquiry Committee for a verbal reprimand;
          
      3. To not be a pharmacy manager and/or a preceptor for pharmacy students for a period of 2 years;
          
      4. To successfully pass the College’s Jurisprudence Exam; and
          
      5. To successfully complete and pass the “BC Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program” offered by the British Columbia Pharmacy Association.
          

8. Rationale:

   The Former Registrant’s actions were considered serious contraventions of legislation involving pharmacy practice standards, the appropriate access, use and protection of personal health information and PharmaNet records, and her role as a pharmacy manager. Her misconduct placed others at risk of harm. The Former Registrant also contravened standards of the Code of Ethics involving protecting and promoting the well-being of patients, benefitting society, committing to personal and professional integrity, participating in ethical business practices, and conflicts of interest.

   In determining an appropriate disposition for the Former Registrant, the Inquiry Committee considered the Former Registrant’s report of feeling pressured by her employer (the pharmacy owner) to commit these actions, and that she personally did not stand to gain financially from what occurred.

   The Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement necessary to protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession. Inappropriate access and use of personal health information compromises the public’s trust in the pharmacy profession as a whole. At all times, registrants must uphold legislative requirements and ethical obligations to appropriately access, use and protect personal health information.

The Inquiry Committee has reinstated pharmacist registrant’s registration, which had previously been suspended for an indefinite period on October 20, 2020. The pharmacist registrant’s name has been withheld pursuant to section 39.3(4) of the Health Professions Act. 

October 20, 2020
(December 23, 2020 - Registration Reinstated)

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 October 20, 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.

Pursuant to Section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached a Consent Agreement with Sing Man Tam (the “Registrant”), effective October 8, 2020, where the Registrant consented to:

1. To not act as pharmacy manager until he successfully completes the College’s Jurisprudence Exam.

The Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement necessary to protect the public.

May 27, 2019
(October 8, 2020 - Limits and Conditions Updated)

1. Nature of Action: The Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (the “College”) conducted an investigation into the practice of Sing Man Tam (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: May 27, 2019

3. Name of registrant: Sing Man Tam​

4. Admissions and Acknowledgements:

   On October 13, 2015, the College received correspondence from the BC Ministry of Health regarding potential pharmacy practice concerns at the Pharmacy, arising from a PharmaCare Audit of the Pharmacy that covered the time period between September 1, 2012 and August 31, 2014 (the “Audit Period”).  Further to the College’s investigation of those practice concerns, the Registrant acknowledged

   1. prescriptions were missing date or quantity to dispense,

   2. prescriptions were filled under the incorrect prescriber,
       

   3. a prescription was dispensed for the wrong dose,

   4. prescriptions were written by the prescriber as daily witness ingestion but were processed under the Drug Identification Number (“DIN”) for methadone given without direct interaction
       

   5. a prescription was written by the physician for daily witness ingestion but was processed under the DIN for delivery of methadone, without authorization,

   6. medication reviews were submitted to PharmaNet that did not have any supporting documentation,

   7. prescriptions for Hepatitis C medications were not submitted to PharmaNet on the day of claimed dispense,
       

   8. prescriptions were written by the physician as daily dispense, but were filled and submitted to PharmaNet as a 7 days’ supply, with no documentation of a prescriber’s authorization to do so,

   9. a prescription was filled as a verbal authorization with incomplete documentation,

   10. a methadone prescription was billed on a day marked as “missed” on the ingestion logs,

   11. a prescription adaptation was conducted without adequate documentation,

   12. a methadone prescription did not have a part fill accountability log, and

   13. a methadone prescription was provided as delivery without prescriber authorization.

5. Disposition:

   The Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the College’s Inquiry Committee, wherein the Registrant consented to the following terms:

   1. having a Letter of Reprimand placed permanently on his registration record;

   2. payment of a fine in the amount of $10,000;
       

   3. an undertaking to:

       

      1. not repeat the conduct to which this matter relates,
          
      2. thoroughly review and read legislation, standards and policies relevant to the conduct to which this matter relates, and thereafter submit a Declaration of Understanding regarding the legislation, standards and policies reviewed and read,
          
      3. complete the BC Pharmacy Manager Training Course as well as coursework relating to opioid agonist therapy,
          
      4. successfully complete the College’s Jurisprudence Exam,
          
      5. at all times prior to completing the BC Pharmacy Manager Training Course and successfully completing the College’s Jurisprudence Exam only provide the services of a pharmacist when a least one other full pharmacist registrant is present with him in the pharmacy, and
          
      6. at all times after delivering the Declaration of Understanding, completing the BC Pharmacy Manager Training Course and coursework relating to methadone maintenance treatment, and successfully completing the College’s Jurisprudence Exam, be knowledgeable of and abide by all legislation and policy governing the practice of pharmacy.

6. Rationale:

   The Inquiry Committee considered that in this case, the cumulative weight of the practice deficiencies demonstrated inadequate diligence and oversight in the Registrant’s practice, noting that many of the substantiated practice deficiencies were substantive, and not simply administrative. Accurate record keeping and documentation are fundamental to providing safe pharmaceutical care. Therefore, the Committee considered the Registrant’s conduct to be serious, and that the Registrant required both remediation and deterrence in order to come into compliance. The Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement necessary to protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession.

1. Nature of Action: The Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (“College”) conducted an investigation into the practice of Kuljeet Singh Thiara (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: October 19, 2020

3. Name of registrant: Kuljeet Singh Thiara

4. Location of Practice: Abbotsford, BC

5. Admissions and Acknowledgements: 

   The Registrant has admitted and/or acknowledged the following:

   1. As a pharmacy manager, the Registrant was responsible, pursuant to section 18(2)(b) of Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act Bylaws, for ensuring compliance with all legislation, bylaws, policies and procedures applicable to the operation of a pharmacy.

   2. On January 30, 2020, at the pharmacy where the Registrant had been manager, pharmacy staff incorrectly identified a patient and dispensed incorrect prescriptions.

      The incident was the fourth time in a period of fourteen months, and the sixth time that the Registrant’s practice as a pharmacy manager was the subject of an Inquiry Committee matter. The Registrant had previously signed Consent Agreements to remediate similar practice concerns. For these Consent Agreements, he had consented to undertakings to take steps to prevent recurrences of similar incidents.

6. The Registrant's involvement and acknowledgments:
   
   The Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the Inquiry Committee of College, wherein the Registrant consented to the following terms (in part):

   1. To not act as a pharmacy manager for a period of one (1) year from October 19, 2020 to October 19, 2021. Prior to applying to act in the role of a pharmacy manager, he must successfully complete the BC Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program provided by the British Columbia Pharmacy Association.

   2. To pay a $7,500.00 fine.

7. Rationale:

   The Inquiry Committee determined that on multiple instances, the Registrant failed to comply with terms of his previous Consent Agreements and there had been recurring incidents of similar nature. On multiple instances, the Registrant failed to meet his legislative responsibilities as a pharmacy manager pursuant to the Pharmacy Operations and Drug Scheduling Act Bylaws.

   The Inquiry Committee determined that the Registrant required serious remediation and deterrence in order to come into compliance with his responsibilities as a pharmacy manager. The Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement appropriate to protect the public and resolve the matter.