Cassandra Elstak-Blackwell has completed a term of suspension which ended on December 14, 2016, and her registration as a pharmacist has been reinstated as of December 15, 2016.
November 15, 2016
(DECEMBER 14, 2016 - registration reinstated)
Pursuant to section 36 of the Health Professions Act, the Inquiry Committee has reached an agreement with Cassandra Elstak-Blackwell (the “Registrant”) to temporarily suspend her registration as a pharmacist for 30 days, effective November 15, 2016 to December 14, 2016.
On March 12, 2015, a pharmacist at the Registrant’s pharmacy dispensed allopurinol to a patient which interacted with her existing medication, azathioprine. The drug-drug interaction between allopurinol and azathioprine is serious and well-known. On April 3, 2015, the Registrant dispensed refill prescriptions for allopurinol and azathioprine to the patient. These refills were dispensed again the next month on May 29, 2015 by another pharmacist. In May 2015, the patient began experiencing symptoms of pancytopenia and was admitted to the hospital. The patient remained in the hospital for 18 days during which she received multiple blood transfusions and required blood tests to determine the cause of her symptoms.
The Inquiry Committee found that the Registrant did not conduct a PharmaNet review, failed to detect the drug-drug interaction and did not provide counseling when she dispensed the medications to the patient. The Inquiry Committee determined that in the interest of public safety, a 30-day suspension of the Registrant’s licence and educational remediation was appropriate for addressing this incident. The Registrant has completed her educational requirements to the Inquiry Committee’s satisfaction and is now entering a 30-day suspension period for her licence. The Inquiry Committee considers this agreement necessary to protect the public.