Police in Newfoundland and Labrador say they have finished their investigation into a break and enter and theft of an unknown amount of narcotics from a children’s hospital in the capital city.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary confirmed for CBC News that police were called to the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre around 7 a.m. on June 30.
Const. James Cadigan said the break and enter happened at a pharmaceutical cabinet containing narcotics. He said he could not confirm whether or not more than one cabinet was targeted, and did not provide details on the amount of drugs taken.
The RNC said its investigation has now concluded and there was insufficient evidence to proceed with charges.
Records obtained by CBC News through access to information suggest this is not the only time law enforcement has gotten involved when drugs went missing from a health facility in the province.
And the Janeway narcotics are far from the only drugs on the missing list from institutions that provide health care, including long-term care and correctional centres.
Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services did not notify the public about the Janeway theft.
However, in an email sent to employees on July 7 and obtained by CBC News, hospital management acknowledged there were concerns surrounding safety and security.
“We understand your worries about the recent incidents and ongoing investigations within the building,” said the email sent from Janeway management.
“Please know that we take your concerns regarding these issues very seriously.”
The email noted that security had been increased, “along with enhanced surveillance methods in multiple locations.”
The email did not specify details of those incidents and investigations.
How often do drugs go missing?
CBC News requested data through access to information on the number of reported controlled drug losses at health facilities across Newfoundland and Labrador, from 2020 to mid-August of this year.
The data shows there have been at least 98 instances of missing medication, though in some cases multiple medications were reported missing on the same date at the same facility.
In many cases, there were reports of a missing pill or patch. The largest number of reports were made in 2023.
Two portions of the document are redacted, claiming it could interfere with or harm a law enforcement matter.
NLHS CEO Pat Parfrey declined a CBC News interview request on this topic.
However, in an emailed response to questions, NLHS spokesperson Adam Randell said they are “unable” to provide details on that second incident of potential police involvement.
CBC News also asked for information on which cases were suspected theft, as opposed to human error, without success.
“We are unable to provide further details regarding reported drug losses,” Randell said.
“Where appropriate, matters are turned over to the police for investigation.”
Lorazepam and morphine are among the most commonly missing medications. There have also been multiple reports of dangerous and addictive painkillers like fentanyl and hydromorphone being unaccounted for.
In March 2021, 100 lorazepam tablets were reported missing from the former Waterford Hospital. Seven months later, the same amount was reported taken from Carbonear General Hospital.
The RCMP said lorazepam — more commonly known by its brand name Ativan — goes for approximately $5 per pill on the street in the province. The street value of fentanyl is much higher, with a range from $60 to $500.
Rita Dhami, chief pharmacy officer of the Canadian Society of Healthcare-Systems Pharmacy, said any theft or drug loss — of any amount — is a concern.
“We want to ensure that hospitals don’t become a source of harm for the larger opioid crisis that we have going on,” Dhami said in a recent interview.
“Even with policies and procedures in place, we recognize that gaps can occur … There’s no single fix.”
In 2019, the society released a number of guidelines for hospitals to follow, including safe storage, access to controlled drugs, monitoring usage and auditing, and reporting when drugs are lost.
It calls for a diversion prevention specialist and committee to lead these efforts in each hospital.
According to Randell, the provincial health authority doesn’t have a dedicated specialist or established committee that solely focuses on diversion.
Randell indicated that several programs work together to prevent drug diversion and theft within the health authority.
“NL Health Services acknowledges the risk of medication theft (or drug diversion), which is a safety concern in all health-care settings and has policies and procedures in place to prevent, identify, analyze, and learn from such incidents,” Randell said.
Records obtained by CBC News through access to information suggest law enforcement has been looking into at least two cases of missing drugs from health-care facilities in Newfoundland and Labrador. The CBC’s Ariana Kelland reports.
Dhami said her organization’s guidelines are just that — guidelines.
“They’re voluntary to implement, but it’s widely recognized that these represent the national standard of best practices,” she said.
Randell said NLHS has policies and procedures in place that comply with federal and provincial regulatory requirements around the distribution of narcotics and controlled substances.
“NL Health Services adheres to recognized industry security standards and applicable regulatory requirements to ensure the secure storage of all medications,” Randell said.
“Security measures and best practices are continually reviewed and implemented to mitigate the risk of drug diversions.”
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