HEALTH Director Fine Denies License Restoration for Pharmacist

The RI Dept. of Health announced Monday the restoration of former state Sen. Leo Blais' pharmacist license, but with stipulations. Just two days later, HEALTH Director Michael D. Fine denied the restoration.

Last March, Director Fine suspended Blais' license indefinitely after a "dispensing error" at his East Greenwich pharmacy, Apothecare Compounding Solutions, resulted in a 2-year-old and an 11-month-old receiving multiple unintended doses of morphine.

The Dept. of Health also cited Blais for removing drugs from his pharmacy, to an unlicensed and unauthorized location during the RI flood event of 2010, as well as compounding prescription drugs in an environment not meeting standards; both allegations that he disputes. 

It was the third time he had disciplinary action taken against him; once in 1999 and again in 2007. 

Last Friday, Blais accepted a court-ordered two-year suspension retroactive to March 23, 2012, with the second year of suspension stayed. His license was on probation during the second year and he was also forbidden from serving as a Pharmacist-in-Charge or an instructor during that period of time. Blais was also required to undergo 40 hours of training; 20 in the areas of law and ethics and 20 in the area of compounding.

In a letter sent to Administrative Hearing Officer Catherine Warren on Wednesday afternoon, Fine said he "disapproved of the Consent Order ratified by the Rhode Island Board of Pharmacy" that allowed Blais his license back.

According to the Health Dept., Fine took this action under the authority of Rhode Island General Law Chapter 5, Section 19.1-5, which requires all board actions to be approved by the director.

“After reviewing the Consent Order ratified by the Board of Pharmacy, I consider the agreement between the parties outlined in the order to be insufficient, given the facts leading to the Summary Suspension of Leo Blais,” Director Fine said. 

Click here to learn about a Barrington couple outraged at the license reinstatement order after Blais administered mislabeled morphine to their 11-month-old daughter.