Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

The investigation of a pharmacist that administered insulin instead of flu shots in November 2019 that hospitalized 10 people in Bartlesville has concluded with the individual's license being suspended indefinitely.

Marty Hendrick, the Executive Director for the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy, said the decision to suspend Dr. James Sutterfield's license went into effect immediately on Wednesday. He said Sutterfield also entered into an agreed order that was approved by the Board.

According to that agreed order, Sutterfield can no longer administer immunizations because his license for that has been revoked. Sutterfield can no longer fill prescriptions in the capacity of a pharmacist because those privileges have also been revoked.

Hendrick did say that Sutterfield's license will still allow him to do counseling and Medication Therapy Management (MTM) work. He said Sutterfield expressed a desire during the hearing to help area tribes with diabetes counseling for children. This is something that Hendrick found to be honorable.

The 10 individuals – eight residents and two staffers – that received the insulin instead of the expected flu shot at the Jacquelyn House in Bartlesville were released from the Jane Phillips Medical Center a day after the incident. Sutterfield was put on administrative leave then.

The Bartlesville Police Department conducted their own investigation. The BPD determined that the incident was an accident.

Sergeant Daniel Elkins told Bartlesville Radio in November that Sutterfield - then unidentified - had given shots at the Jacquelyn House before. He said Sutterfield was set to retire in the spring after having over 40 years of experience as a pharmacist.

Hendrick with the OSBP said they looked at all aspects of the case. He said this includes the interviews with Sutterfield, the allegations and the facts that they found and presented on Wednesday in Oklahoma City. All those things played a role in the decision the Board made moving forward.

Public safety is a top priority for the OSBP. Hendrick said the agreed order with Sutterfield provides safety for the people of Oklahoma, and that it is also a just punishment in the respect of what needed to be done in relation to the incident in November 2019.

"The incident was odd and horrible," Hendrick said. "It is something that we never want to see happen in the field of pharmacy. But sometimes there are errors that happen, and it is how we deal with the issues going forward [that matters]."

Hendrick added that there were steps present that Sutterfield could have fallen through with that could've prevented the issue, but once they got to the error, it became more of an issue of how they handled the matter. He said the number of people involved, which in itself was concerning, and the scenario in which it happened made the situation very unusual.

There is also the process of checking the bottles to make sure that the right shots are being given. Hendrick said as pharmacists, they are very diligent in what they do. He said they have to pay very close attention to details so their patients are getting the proper treatment in a safe environment.

While it was a difficult case, Hendrick wants the public to know that the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy is always working. He said when they get complaints, those complaints do not fall on deaf ears.

The OSBP is always working cases that come to their attention. With the Sutterfield case, Hendrick said the OSBP did a great job with a very difficult situation. He said plenty of research went into this tough case, and that the resolution of the matter shows their commitment to seeing it through and protecting the citizens of Oklahoma.