Pharmacist Loses License for Sleeping with a Patient

A pharmacist has lost his license to practice after having consensual sex with a patient.

Ontario’s Health Provisions Procedural Code prohibits any sexual behavior, whether physical or verbal, between the patient and the pharmacist, with the exception of spouses. The code refers to any sexual behavior as “sexual abuse.”

“The purpose of the provisions of this code with respect to sexual abuse of patients by members is to encourage the reporting of such abuse, to provide funding for therapy and counselling for patients who have been sexually abused by members and, ultimately, to eradicate the sexual abuse of patients by members,” the code states.

Pharmacist Mohamed Hanif maintained that the code “regulated morality,” and having his license revoked was unconstitutional, according to The Canadian Press.

Hanif also lamented that losing his license to practice made him appear as a sexual abuser. He argued that only a criminal code, not a health code, could regulate morality.

However, the appeal court ruled that the code did not regulate morality and instead focused on the integrity of the professional-patient relationship, The Canadian Press reported.

The code will prevent Hanif from regaining his pharmacy license for at least 5 years.

Hanif had been a pharmacist at a store called Loblaws in Ontario. A relationship developed between the pharmacist and a cashier at the store in 2008.

Loblaws fired Hanif and turned the case over to the Ontario College of Pharmacists, which began the disciplinary proceedings, The Canadian Press reported.