B.C.’s College of Pharmacists has fined a Nanaimo college member $5,000 and suspended them for six months for dispensing an estimated 552 doses of methadone to a patient without a valid prescription.
“The inquiry committee determined that the registrant’s conduct demonstrated an egregious breach of trust,” the college discipline notice said. “The registrant acted beyond his scope of practice and inappropriately prescribed and dispensed a narcotic with a high risk of harm for an estimated total of approximately 552 days.”
A college decision dated Jan. 9 said Edgardo Maniago Montejo admitted to the activities between Nov. 11, 2022, and Feb. 2, 2023; and between Feb. 10, 2023, and May 22, 2024, while he was a pharmacy manager.
The decision said Montejo prescribed and dispensed prescriptions to himself and prescribed a prescription for his child contrary to the Health Professions Act.
It also said he did not complete a final check and clinical assessment of a prescription.
He also failed to complete a self-declaration of completing the B.C. Pharmacy Association Opioid Agonist Treatment Compliance and Management Program for Pharmacy Training Program, contrary to a professional practice policy.
Further, the decision said, Montejo did not complete the B.C. Community Pharmacy Manager Training Program within three years of his last completed training and declaration date.
“The inquiry committee therefore determined that the registrant required serious remediation and deterrence regarding his conduct,” the decision said.
Montejo was ordered to review legislation, complete remedial education, write an apology letter to the original prescriberof the patient, pass a legal exam and not act as a student supervisor for a year.
He must also not dispense opioid agonist treatments for a year as well as not provide emergency prescription refills in relation to narcotic, controlled and targeted drug substances for a year.
“After considering significant mitigating factors, the inquiry committee considered the terms of the consent agreement appropriate to protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession.
