The designated supervisor of a Thunder Bay pharmacy was held chargeable for the contravention of assorted laws
THUNDER BAY — A now-closed Thunder Bay pharmacy disbursed methadone and different medicines with out a pharmacist being current, opposite to provincial laws.
The Ontario School of Pharmacists issued a reprimand and orders earlier this yr to the individual designated by the proprietor of the enterprise as the person in control of the pharmacy.
Particulars of the case have been just lately made public.
Household Well being Pharmacy Thunder Bay operated between June 1, 2022 and Jan. 17, 2023, and was positioned subsequent to a methadone clinic.
The Ontario School of Pharmacists launched an investigation after a nurse on the clinic informed a pharmacist at a special pharmacy that FHP was shelling out methadone on-site with out the oversight of a pharmacist.
A registered pharmacist was the designated supervisor (DM) when FHP Thunder Bay began up.
He was additionally the director liaison (DL) – the faculty’s main contact individual – an appointment required by regulation as a result of the pharmacy was owned by a belief managed by a non-pharmacist.
On Aug. 17, 2022, he emailed the OCP stating he would resign as DM by the tip of that month, however there was no formal followup by both him or the faculty.
It was solely after this grew to become obvious within the course of the investigation that the faculty’s information have been up to date to take away him as DM on Nov. 8, 2022.
Nevertheless, the faculty’s self-discipline committee held him chargeable for failures to keep up requirements of apply, regardless that it famous that if he have been to testify, “he would say that he was not chargeable for scheduling (pharmacists)…nor did he actually have any significant duty for operations” as a result of FHP Thunder Bay was managed and operated by two different people who assured him scheduling was being managed appropriately.
It discovered that between Aug. 22, 2022 and Nov. 7, 2022, the person permitted FHP Thunder Bay to function with out a pharmacist being bodily current and permitted the sale and/or shelling out of medication with no pharmacist on the premises.
The committee additionally decided that from June 1, 2022 to Jan. 17, 2023, he failed to make sure narcotic counts and/or reconciliations have been accomplished not less than each six months, and/or that information have been retained.
It discovered, as effectively, that between Nov. 8, 2022 and Jan. 17, 2023, he permitted the pharmacy to function with out a DM, and that on Jan. 17, 2023 he closed the enterprise with out complying with regulatory necessities for closing and for retaining information.
The OCP’s panel mentioned that, whereas engaged within the apply of pharmacy and/or as DM of a now-closed pharmacy in southern Ontario, he permitted it to function for someday in 2023 with out a pharmacist being bodily current, and that medication have been bought or disbursed on that day.
It decided that he had failed to keep up a regular of apply of the career, did not preserve information as required respecting his sufferers or apply, and falsified a document referring to his apply or an individual’s well being document.
Hamidreza Zarrinkalam was registered as a pharmacist in Ontario in 2007, and had no historical past of self-discipline.
In an oral reprimand, the committee described his conduct on this occasion as dishonourable and unprofessional.
It famous that as a chosen supervisor and a director liaison, he was chargeable for the protected operation of each pharmacies.
“As an skilled, long-standing School registrant, you need to have recognized higher…We hope that the self-discipline course of has given you time to replicate in your misconduct. We belief that the numerous remediation measures now we have ordered you to undertake will rehabilitate your apply.”
The OCP panel suspended his certificates of registration for 3 months efficient Could of this yr and ordered him to pay prices of $10,000.
It additional ordered him to finish and cross a program on problem-based ethics for healthcare professionals, cross an examination on jurisprudence, ethics and professionalism, and retain a mentor at his personal expense for the aim of reviewing his apply respecting the position and duties of a chosen supervisor.
