Empire Co. Ltd. refuses to comment on computer system issues that continue to prevent customers from filling prescriptions at some of the pharmacies it owns and operates.
The Nova Scotia-based company issued a brief statement Monday confirming that an “IT systems issue” affecting certain pharmacies has caused “technical difficulties” in filling prescriptions.
Issues at Empire-operated pharmacies, including Sobeys pharmacies and Lawtons Drugs, were first reported over the weekend, and some locations in Halifax Tuesday have signs posted warning customers of the ongoing technical problem.
Empire has not provided a response to inquiries regarding the origin of the IT issue or provided a timeline for its anticipated resolution.
Anne Genge, the CEO of Alexio, an Ontario-based cybersecurity company that specializes in health care, said the situation is reminiscent of the cyberattack that targeted Newfoundland and Labrador’s health system last year.
According to Genge, the size of Empire’s system outage and the company’s lack of transparency make her suspect that a cyberattack may be to blame for the technical issues.
Empire keeps quiet as IT issues continue to affect Sobeys and other stores
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