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Nature of Action: The Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (“CPBC”) conducted an investigation into the practice of now former registrant Amandeep Singh Khun-Khun (the “Former Registrant”), pursuant to section 33(4) of the Health Professions Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 183. The Inquiry Committee and the Former Registrant have agreed to resolve all matters arising from the investigation by way of a Consent Agreement under section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act.
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Effective date: April 13, 2021
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Name of registrant: Amandeep Singh Khun-Khun
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Location of Practice: N/A
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Admissions and acknowledgements:
Between April 2014 and October 2017, the Former Registrant used a physician’s name and license number to create prescription authorizations for himself, without that physician’s knowledge or consent. Records indicated that the Former Registrant used the physician’s name to create nine prescription authorizations totalling 75 dispensed transactions. The prescription authorizations included Schedule I drugs, Over-The-Counter supplements, and medical supplies. The Former Registrant was not in possession of a valid order from a physician at the time of creating and/or dispensing these prescriptions.
The Former Registrant was also found to have prescribed and dispensed drug therapy for himself. Records identified that the Former Registrant’s PharmaNet profile included 1,010 entries where he was both the receiving patient and the dispensing pharmacist, and 159 entries indicating he was both the receiving patient, dispensing pharmacist and authorizing practitioner.
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Disposition:
The Former Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the Inquiry Committee, wherein the Former Registrant consented to terms that include (but are not limited to) the following:
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To suspend his registration as a pharmacist for a total of 1825 days (5 years) to commence immediately on the date any other previous suspensions are completed;
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To have a letter of reprimand placed on CPBC’s register permanently; and
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To pay a fine of $15,000.
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Rationale:
The Inquiry Committee considered that in this case, the Former Registrant’s conduct was a serious breach of legislative standards and the CPBC’s Code of Ethics. The Inquiry Committee determined the Former Registrant’s use of the physician’s name and license number without the physician’s consent violated the trust that healthcare practitioners place in each other when serving patients. CPBC registrants are required to act with honesty and integrity in all professional relationships, and the Former Registrant’s actions were contrary to this expectation.
Further, the Inquiry Committee determined the Former Registrant’s self-prescribing and self-dispensing of treatment was concerning and could have placed his own health at risk. The Inquiry Committee noted that CPBC registrants are prohibited from self-prescribing and self-dispensing treatment unless in extenuating circumstances. The Inquiry Committee was not satisfied the Former Registrant’s circumstances met the threshold to self-prescribe and self-dispense treatment.
The Inquiry Committee determined the Former Registrant’s actions were unprofessional, unethical and compromised trust in the pharmacy profession.
The Inquiry Committee therefore determined that the Former Registrant required serious remediation and deterrence regarding his conduct. 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.
June 12, 2019
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Nature of Action: The Inquiry Committee of the College of Pharmacists of British Columbia (the “College”) conducted an investigation into the practice of now former registrant Amandeep Singh Khun-Khun (the “Former Registrant”), pursuant to section 33(4) of the Health Professions Act, R.S.B.C. 1996, c. 183. The Inquiry Committee and the Former Registrant have agreed to resolve all matters arising from the investigation by way of a Consent Agreement under section 36(1) of the Health Professions Act.
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Effective date: June 12, 2019
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Name of registrant: Amandeep Singh Khun-Khun
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Location of Practice: Vancouver, BC
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Admissions and Acknowledgements:
Between January 1, 2014 and November 5, 2017, over 15,000 transactions for over-the-counter (“OTC”) and/or vitamin products were processed on a daily or weekly basis on the PharmaNet records of seven individuals. These seven individuals were not prescribed and had not received any of the OTC and/or vitamin products processed on their PharmaNet records. Most of the seven individuals stated that they had not willingly consented to having these transactions on their PharmaNet records.
These transactions all originated from a pharmacy where the Former Registrant was the pharmacy manager and owner.
The Former Registrant admitted that he had directed pharmacy assistants to process transactions weekly on PharmaNet in order to artificially inflate the pharmacy’s prescription count. The pharmacy assistants used the registration numbers of various pharmacist registrants as the dispensing pharmacist and/or prescriber for each transaction. The majority of pharmacy registrants stated that their registration numbers were used without their willing consent or knowledge. Many of these transactions were also backdated.
The Former Registrant’s actions and direction enabled the inappropriate access and use of PharmaNet records, enabled the inappropriate access and use of pharmacist registration numbers, and caused PharnaNet records to be inaccurate and not current.
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Disposition:
The Former Registrant entered into a Consent Agreement with the College’s Inquiry Committee, wherein the Former Registrant consented to the following terms:
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To suspend his registration as a pharmacist for a total of 540 days, to commence upon his reinstatement to Full Pharmacist status;
- To not be a pharmacy manager, director, owner (direct or indirect), shareholder, and preceptor for pharmacy students for a period of five years from the date that his suspension ends;
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To successfully pass the College’s Jurisprudence Exam;
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To successfully complete and pass an ethics course for healthcare professionals; and.
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To pay a $30,000.00 fine.
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Rationale:
The Inquiry Committee considered that the Former Registrant’s intentional directing of weekly transactions which enabled the processing of over 15,000 false prescriptions on PharmaNet involved significant breaches of confidentiality and trust. The fact that his actions led to an inflated prescription count, from which the Inquiry Committee believed he gained financial and personal benefit, made his conduct even more serious.
His actions were considered serious contraventions of legislation involving use and protection of personal information, appropriate use and access of PharmaNet and patient records, supervision of pharmacy assistants, and his role as a pharmacy manager. He also contravened standards of the Code of Ethics involving protecting and promoting the well-being of patients, benefitting society, committing to personal and professional integrity, and participating in ethical business practices. The Inquiry Committee also considered that the Former Registrant had previously consented to remedial undertakings to fully comply with ethical requirements, and he had breached these undertakings for this current matter. The totality of the Former Registrant’s serious, intentional, and repeated conduct amounted to significant professional misconduct, and the Inquiry Committee considered that the Former Registrant required the above-referred-to remediation and deterrence in order to come into compliance.
The Inquiry Committee considered the terms of the Consent Agreement necessary to protect the public, as well as send a clear message of deterrence to the profession. Inappropriate access and use of personal information, especially without consent, compromises the public’s trust in the pharmacy profession as a whole. At all times, registrants must uphold legislative requirements and ethical obligations to appropriately access, use, and protect personal information.