Vancouver pharmacy shuttered over safer supply misuse claims
CBC
The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia has suspended the registration of a Vancouver pharmacist and shut down his pharmacy indefinitely for allegedly violating federal drug laws by misusing medications that treat opioid addiction.
Sukhpreet Singh Sidhu, who manages Health Hub Pharmacy, can no longer practise in B.C., pending an investigation and any resulting disciplinary proceedings.
The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) also found "evidence of criminal activities" and "public safety risks" during traffic stops of the pharmacy's delivery vehicle, the college said.
"We are responsible for making sure every pharmacy, pharmacist, and pharmacy technician in B.C. is providing the public with safe and ethical pharmacy care," said the college's CEO, Suzanne Solven, in a statement.
"The allegations that are the reason for these suspensions are extremely serious, and allowing the pharmacy to continue operating would pose a significant risk to patients, the public, and pharmacy staff."
The college says it's important to note that the claims are still under investigation, and it has not determined whether the allegations against Sidhu and his pharmacy are true.
The allegations include inappropriate narcotic drug dispensing, improperly preparing narcotic prescriptions and not complying with policies of opioid agonist treatment (OAT), which uses medications to manage opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Health Canada said the pharmacy didn't comply with federal drug legislation after it conducted inspections. Additionally, the college said inspectors with the College of Pharmacists identified "multiple" breaches of provincial laws and college practice standards.
The college alleges the pharmacy had people not registered with the regulator delivering and administering drugs that treat opioid addiction.
In a statement to CBC News Tuesday, the VPD said that in January and February of this year, police working in the Downtown Eastside had "interactions with a person engaging in activity that was consistent with dial-a-doping" — where people call a cellphone number to arrange to buy the drugs and get them delivered to a specific location.
"The person was observed driving in the Downtown Eastside with a variety of prescription medications, cash, drug paraphernalia, and weapons. The person claimed he was an employee of a pharmacy and was doing deliveries. However, the man's behaviour was not consistent with what we know to be a legitimate delivery driver," police wrote in a statement.
While the evidence didn't meet the threshold for arrest and criminal charges, police say they forwarded the information to the College of Pharmacists.
Opioid treatment medications help people who are addicted to heroin, fentanyl and other substances. To help them improve day-to-day functioning, reduce cravings for opioid drugs and manage withdrawal symptoms, patients can be prescribed methadone, Suboxone or slow-release oral morphine, according to the Provincial Health Services Authority.
The B.C. government began providing universal coverage for eligible medications in 2020, and it has been a lightning rod for critics, including B.C.'s opposition parties and federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre, ever since.
An RCMP-led corruption investigation is underway into at least one current Calgary city councillor as well as a business, CBC News has learned.
Much of Newfoundland is digging out of a blustery and messy day as another storm slams into the island.
Timiskaming—Cochrane MPP John Vanthof recalls the meeting in Thunder Bay earlier this month. He was part of the nine-day road trip along Highways 11 and 17 with other NDP MPPs.
A bill before the Nova Scotia Legislature is proposing raising the age limit for support for young people who have been in the foster care or group home system to 26.
The Fredericton Police Force has reallocated funds so new staff can be hired this year to better manage evidence after a police error upended murder cases against five people.
One of two pilots killed in a plane crash at New York's LaGuardia Airport Sunday earned his wings at an Ontario college, CBC News has learned.
Air Canada passengers who were aboard Flight 8646 when the CRJ-900 aircraft struck a fire truck upon landing at New York's LaGuardia Airport on Sunday evening say the collision was sudden and forceful, and they may owe their lives to the pilots who died in the incident.
Cardiac services are set to expand at a Winnipeg hospital once regarded as one of the best in Canada for heart care.
A 26-second TikTok video has ignited a larger conversation about vulnerable populations, theft and content creation.
Some family doctors and emergency room physicians working in Edmonton hospitals warn that an April 1 end to stipend pay arrangements could put patient care at risk and increase suffering.
An Auditor General of Canada report has found that B.C. saw drastically fewer international students than was forecast ever since wide-ranging federal immigration cuts began in 2024.
Six years after e-learning became a mandatory requirement to get an Ontario high school diploma, students don't appear to be taking online school to diversify their course selection as the province had intended, according to a CBC News analysis of provincial enrolment data.
Sarnia City Council will hold a special meeting Tuesday morning to respond to social media comments made by Coun. Bill Dennis, who criticized city spending on a new mural by Indigenous artist Kennady Osborne as “virtue signalling by woke politicians” — then made a series of comments in response to a reply from Aamjiwnaang Chief Janelle Nahmabin that some have characterized as unprofessional and aggressive.