Pharmacist sanctioned for taking 26,000 medication tablets for own use

A B.C. pharmacist and drugstore owner has been sanctioned for taking thousands of tablets of unauthorized narcotics and controlled medications over a four-year period.

In a written ruling, the College of Pharmacists of B.C. said the drugstore manager from Dawson Creek engaged in "serious misconduct" and placed his patients at "a significant risk of harm." 

But it notes there were also "significant mitigating factors." Those factors weren't detailed. 

16,000 narcotic tablets taken

An agreed statement of facts notes that between 2014 and 2018, Kayle Henry Christensen took unauthorized medications for his own personal use, without a prescription.

They included 16,000 tablets of a narcotic drug and 10,000 tablets of a controlled substance. 

The college says the medications "were reportedly not provided to any other persons."  Christensen also altered the pharmacy's records to hide his use. But he didn't process or bill these medications on PharmaNet.

The college says  the pharmacist placed his patients at "a significant risk of harm" by working while taking unauthorized drugs.

The regulatory body states Christensen's actions "required serious remediation and deterrence."

3 month suspension

Under an agreement with the college, Christensen has agreed to pay a $1,500 fine and take an ethics course.

He can't work as a pharmacist for three months and for three years, he can't run a pharmacy or handle narcotics.

The college notes Christensen's actions are "a serious contravention of standards ... and compromise the public's trust in the pharmacy profession." 

Christensen declined to comment.