Utah pharmacist handed out fake COVID vaccine cards to give patients a ‘choice’

A Utah pharmacist broke the law by handing over half a dozen fake vaccination cards to patients, including a woman who was given false information about the side effects of the vaccine.

In late June, Bruce Whatcott saw a “reluctant” patient whose job included travel and his employer requested that the patient be vaccinated. When the patient was told by a pharmacy technician that the vaccination could cause infertility, Whatcott did not correct the information, which was not confirmed as a side effect.

During an off-camera interaction in the boardroom, the Department of Commerce’s Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL) said Whatcott took out a vial of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine from the refrigerator and added the manufacturer’s lot number to a COVID vaccine. menu. He then handed the card to the patient without ever preparing the syringe or administering the vaccine.

When confronted with illegitimate cards, Whatcott admitted to having dealt cards on a “handful” of other occasions. He estimated that about five other patients who appeared to be “apprehensive about getting the vaccine” received a Whatcott card.

It is estimated that 185 million Americans have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Each received a small paper card showing their immunization status, and in some places it is necessary to attend in-person classes at a college or university or work in a health facility.

It has created an emerging market for fraudulent cards and on Wednesday the Department of Justice announced that a homeopathic doctor in California had been arrested for selling forged COVID-19 vaccination cards. The first federal prosecution for criminal fraud related to coronavirus vaccination cards, Juli Mazi, a registered physician, has been charged with one count of wire fraud and one count of misrepresentation related to health care matters .

Most of the cases involving fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine cards have been dealt with at the state level and Whatcott, who received his license to practice as a pharmacist in 1987, has defended his actions. He reportedly told his employer that he was leaving a “choice” to his patients, who were reluctant to be vaccinated.

“By fraudulently filling out and giving out the vaccination card, the respondent’s action misrepresented the patient as vaccinated and exposed the patient and others around the patient to the risk of contracting COVID-19,” DOPL said in his file.

In addition to endangering the lives of others, Whatcott also broke the law because he used an official CDC seal, which could be punishable by up to five years in prison.

After admitting that the behavior warranted disciplinary action, Whatcott agreed to relinquish his license and pay a $ 2,000 fine, according to the record. Nor is it guaranteed to be re-authorized as a pharmacist.