B.C. pharmacist who reused syringe barrel suspended for one year

The College of Pharmacists of British Columbia has suspended a B.C. pharmacist for a year as punishment for reusing a syringe barrel. Bhanu Prasad Seelaboyina, a pharmacist in New Westminster, B.C., gave 96 COVID vaccines between Aug. 24 and 26, 2021 and reused a syringe barrel for multiple patients during that time. “The Registrant’s admitted lack of knowledge of basic infection control practices introduced risk of infection and uncertainty into the lives of the 96 patients that he unsafely immunized,” the complaint outcome read, noting that his dishonesty during the investigation was also “a serious contravention of legislative and ethical standards.” Read: Too much and too often: Pharmacist who billed excessively gets 18-month suspension and $20,000 in costs The college has suspended Seelaboyina until Aug. 21, 2023. It has also said he can’t inject drugs or administer them intranasally for 180 days after his suspension ends, and will have to re-train before being allowed to administer them again. Other punishments included a permanent letter of reprimand on the college register, and restrictions on being a pharmacy manager and preceptor for students for a year after his suspension. He must also write apologies to the people who filed the complaints, and take courses on conflict resolution, providing empathetic care, preventing and reporting medication incidents, communicating, ethics and infection control. Read: But it was just 'goop': Doctor hit with suspension and costs for failing to remove foreign object in patient's eye Seelaboyina had been barred from injecting drugs or administering them by intranasal route, and by being a pharmacy manager, since last September, when he first admitted to reusing a syringe barrel. Marie Powell, an affected patient, told the CBC News last year that she had to be tested multiple times to ensure the mistake hadn’t given her blood-borne illnesses, including HIV and hepatitis B or C. Powell also filed a class action lawsuit against Seelaboyina. It suit says there is an implied contract between patients and the pharmacy staff who administer vaccines that the professional will do so with care and skill, and that reusing the syringe barrels was a breach of that contract. The pharmacy he was manager at, Kent Pharmacy, and the owner, Fabina Kara, are also named in the suit. A second lawsuit has also followed, with Joshua Jonsen as the representative plaintiff. Read: Second lawsuit arises against pharmacy that allegedly reused syringe barrels

B.C. pharmacist who reused syringe barrel suspended for one year

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