Lawsuit filed against B.C. pharmacist who allegedly reused COVID-19 vaccine syringe barrels

The entrance to Kent Pharmacy in New Westminster, B.C., is seen on Nov. 2, 2021.

Vancouver — A pharmacist from New Westminster, B.C., who allegedly reused syringe barrels while administering COVID-19 vaccines, is facing a proposed class-action lawsuit.

The civil suit, filed this week in B.C. Supreme Court, alleges people who were vaccinated at Kent Pharmacy from Aug. 24 to 26 were potentially put at risk of contracting blood-borne illnesses such as HIV and Hepatitis C because syringes were reused between shots.

The lawsuit notes that syringes are the plastic tubes containing vaccine solution, not the needles.

Kent Pharmacy, owner Fabina Kara and pharmacy manager Bhanu Prasad Seelaboyina are all named as defendants in the proposed class action. None of the allegations against them have been proven in court.

CTV News was unable to reach the defendants Wednesday, but an employee confirmed Seelaboyina is no longer employed at the pharmacy.

He also remains under investigation by the College of Pharmacists of B.C. A notice on the college's website indicates he has agreed not to act as pharmacy manager or "administer drugs or substances by injection and/or intranasal route" until the investigation is completed.

After the allegations came to light, Marie Powell, the lawsuit's representative plaintiff, said she was advised she would need to be tested three times over three months to ensure she didn't contract a blood-borne illness.

Her lawsuit argues the pharmacist should have known reusing syringes could "expose the patients to serious and life-threatening illnesses," and that the impacted patients are entitled to damages.

The defendants have yet to file responses to the proposed class action.

It's unclear how many patients may have been affected over the three days when syringes were allegedly being reused. When addressing the incident last month, Fraser Health said staff were notifying everyone involved by phone and letter.

In an email, the health authority described the situation as an "infection prevention and control lapse."

"While the risk of contracting a blood-borne illness as a result of reusing a syringe is low, we encourage all affected individuals to seek care from their family physician or walk-in clinic to eliminate this potential concern," it said.