5 deaths now under review in Hamilton pharmacy probe
Last Updated: Thursday, June 23, 2005 | 7:51 PM ET
CBC News
Related
Video
- Michelle Cheung reports for CBC-TV (Runs: 2:18)
play: RealMedia »
play: RealVideo »
play: QuickTime »
Last week, RCMP and the Ontario College of Pharmacists seized drugs and records from King West Pharmacy in the southwestern Ontario city.
The raid came after a customer noticed that three of her bottles of Norvasc appeared to contain different pills. The patient alerted the drug's manufacturer, Pfizer, which confirmed that some of the pills were not Norvasc.
Norvasc is used to treat hypertension, high blood pressure and certain types of angina.
On Wednesday, regional coroner Dr. David Eden said his office was reviewing the deaths of two people who were taking Norvasc purchased from the pharmacy.
By Thursday morning, that number had increased to five.
The RCMP and the Ontario College of Pharmacists are now trying to contact everyone who filled Norvasc prescriptions at the pharmacy.
Pharmacy to stay open
In another development Thursday, the Ontario Superior Court approved a plan to keep the pharmacy operating with a new manager and a total change of inventory.
The Ontario College of Pharmacists had been seeking a court injunction to close the business while the investigation continues.
The college withdrew the injunction request Thursday, after the pharmacy's mortgage holder said it would hire a new pharmacist to manage the location, as well as replace the business's current supply of drugs.
The College's deputy registrar Della Croteau says she's happy with the arrangement.
"In this way, it's both protecting the public, while still ensuring that those patients at King West Pharmacy can continue to receive medications," said Croteau.
The college has begun disciplinary action against the pharmacy's owner and one of its employees. No criminal charges have been laid.
Share Tools
Top News Headlines
- Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some
- New, tougher reforms to refugee legislation that hasn't yet come into force are already drawing fire from critics who say they give Canada's immigration minister too much power and risk the lives of claimants. more »
- Underwear bomber sentenced to life in prison
- A Nigerian man who tried to blow up an international flight near Detroit on behalf of al-Qaida has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. more »
- 7 MPs and their fiery quotes
- The election of a majority government was seen by some as a chance for less acrimonious politics on Parliament Hill. But the past week has seen its fair share of inflammatory rhetoric on both sides of the House. more »
- Bully victim's mother tells of 'suicide box'
- A mother who hired a bodyguard to protect her bullied daughter says the girl had prepared a "suicide box" in case the violence became unbearable. more »
Latest Canada News Headlines
- Dog kills newborn in Alberta community
- Officials in Airdrie are revealing few details about the fatal mauling of an infant by a family dog in the southern Alberta city. more »
- Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some
- New, tougher reforms to refugee legislation that hasn't yet come into force are already drawing fire from critics who say they give Canada's immigration minister too much power and risk the lives of claimants. more »
- 7 MPs and their fiery quotes
- The election of a majority government was seen by some as a chance for less acrimonious politics on Parliament Hill. But the past week has seen its fair share of inflammatory rhetoric on both sides of the House. more »
- Bully victim's mother tells of 'suicide box'
- A mother who hired a bodyguard to protect her bullied daughter says the girl had prepared a "suicide box" in case the violence became unbearable. more »
The National
The Current
- Time Banking - Prosperity without Cash Feb. 16, 2012 4:03 PM A look at alternatives to cash in the economy, including the "time bank" movement where participants donate a hour of their labour or expertise in return for an equal amount of time from someone else
- Dog kills newborn in Alberta community
- Montreal telemarketers in fraud case still making calls
- Refugee reforms include fingerprints, no appeals for some
- Bully victim's mother tells of 'suicide box'
- Honduras prison fire is world's deadliest
- Degrassi's Wheels death announced, 5 years later
- Nortel collapse linked to Chinese hackers
- 2 small earthquakes rattle Vancouver Island
- Barefoot girl's icy trek not blamed on babysitter
