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June 30, 2024 - 6:00 PM
A BC pharmacist has had his licence suspended and his pharmacy shuttered, and is under investigation by the regulator over his handling of narcotics.
According to a June 28 College of Pharmacist of BC notice, Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu is alleged to have kept unsecured narcotic drugs at his Vancouver pharmacy.
The regulator said Health Canada reported the pharmacist over alleged improper narcotic drug prescription preparation, improper narcotic drug dispensing, incomplete patient records and lack of patient consultations.
The College also said Sidhu may have been in non-compliance with opioid agonist treatment standards and used non-licenced people to deliver and administer opioid agonist treatment drugs.
"The College also received information from the Vancouver Police Department regarding traffic stops made of the Pharmacy’s delivery vehicle, during which officers identified what appeared to be evidence of criminal activities and public safety risks," the College says in the notice.
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The regulator said it is taking "extraordinary action" by closing Sidhu's Health Hub Pharmacy to protect the public.
According to the notice, Sidhu had been investigated previously in 2020 and after promised to follow the College's requirements.
The College said it made the move to suspend his licence while the investigation takes place because it was "not satisfied" the pharmacist would adhere to any conditions put on him.
"Having weighed the available options and the circumstances of the case, and having considered the impact on (Sidhu), the (College) concluded that protection of the public can only be achieved through an interim suspension of (his) registration," the notice read.
The College noted that before the investigation has been concluded none of the allegations have been proven.
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