THE Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) has confirmed the suspension of the Australian medical registration of a GP after pharmacists in Alaska raised concerns about his prescribing patterns.
Dr Mahmood Ahmad's Alaskan medical licence was summarily suspended in June 2016, and the Medical Board of Australia subsequently decided last Aug to suspend his registration immediately as a result.
Ahmad challenged the Board's decision, and took the matter to VCAT claiming the suspension was not appropriate.
The Tribunal heard evidence of the pharmacists in Anchorage, Alaska who described what they found to be "unusual and troubling prescribing patterns, with new patients without a documented history of prior opioid prescriptions presenting with simultaneous prescriptions for multiple controlled substances, or high dose opioids, or both".
Vague diagnoses - typically 'chronic pain' - were listed on all prescriptions, with a total of 10 different pharmacists raising issues about the doctor with authorities in Alaska.
Dr Ahmad voluntarily and irrevocably surrendered his licence to practice in Alaska, and as a consequence civil charges against him were dropped.
However in the VCAT hearing he said the action in Alaska had been initiated by pharmacists in error, and had given undue weight to "strident and extreme opinion testimony".
However after considering testimony from the doctor and other evidence, the Tribunal concluded the concerns of the pharmacists were valid, and indicated an "apparently reckless disregard for patient safety".
VCAT upheld the Board's decision, saying it was reasonable to believe he posed a "serious risk to persons".
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