MEDIA
Ottawa Psychiatrist Gerald Powell – Guilty of Misconduct – for the second time in three years
OTTAWA SUN Ottawa psychiatrist guilty of second misconduct suspended, fined By Aedan Helmer January 11, 2017 339 Gilmour St., Ottawa, ON, Canada Ottawa psychiatrist Gerald Powell was found guilty of misconduct for the second time in three years, and on Tuesday was suspended by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario and ordered to pay $25,000 in fines for questionable billing practices. Powell, 59, is semi-retired and maintains a part-time practice at 339 Gilmour St. He was suspended and fined by the college in 2014 for carrying on romantic relationships with two former patients, with the original complainant [...]
Bernard Member, NY Psychiatrist, accused of prescribing too many drugs
Syracuse.com State sanctions Ithaca psychiatrist accused of prescribing too many drugs By James T. Mulder January 11, 2017 104 Campbell Ave, Ithaca, NY 14850 ITHACA, N.Y. - The state has sanctioned an Ithaca psychiatrist accused of prescribing too many drugs to some patients and not checking patient prescription histories online before prescribing narcotics. The state put Dr. Bernard Member on probation for three years, made him get another doctor to monitor his practice and ordered him to take a class in appropriate prescribing. The state Board for Professional Medical Conduct said Member prescribed an excessive amount of drugs to [...]
Khaja Chisty, Colorado Psychiatrist, AGREES TO CEASE “PRACTICE” – WHILE OUT OF THE COUNTRY HE USED VIDEOCONFERENCING & THE INTERNET WITHOUT GIVING PATIENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CONSENT TO SUCH “TREATMENT” METHOD
The Denver Post Colorado doctor has license suspended; two agree to cease practices By Kieran Nicholson December 21, 2016 1700 W 100TH AVE STE 101THORNTON, CO The medical license of one doctor has been suspended, and two other doctors have agreed to cease practice in cases before the Colorado Medical Board. The Colorado license of Dr. Michael J. Brazelton has been suspended, and the board has issued cessation-of-practice agreements to Dr. Khaja N. Chisty and Dr. Charles F. Clark. ... Chisty, a psychiatrist, had been summarily suspended Nov. 18 for violations of the Medical Practice Act. The action against [...]
Philip Bird
Psychiatrist warned over prescribed drugs before fatal crash Vanda Carson A MAROOCHYDORE psychiatrist who prescribed “kiddie speed” and other drugs to a driver who crashed and killed twin girls and their grandmother was forewarned that “someone will be killed”. Four years before the tragedy the wife of a patient wrote Dr Philip Bird a letter warning that an innocent motorist or passenger could die. The woman told Dr Bird that when her 59-year-old engineer husband took the “kiddie speed” drug dexamphetamine prescribed to him by Dr Bird, he drove at “speeds like he is on a racetrack and takes enormous [...]
U.S. Senator says Psychiatrist “has no business treating our nation’s veterans or any citizen in Wisconsin”
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Fired Tomah VA chief to surrender medical license Bill Glauber and Daniel Bice January 18, 2017 Senator Tammy Baldwin The psychiatrist at the center of an opioid scandal at the troubled Tomah Veterans Affairs Medical Center has agreed to surrender his medical license, under an agreement reached Wednesday with state regulators. Under the deal, David J. Houlihan agreed never to apply for a medical license in the state, in exchange for state regulators dropping their investigation into his actions at Tomah and not seeking reimbursement for the probe. Houlihan has 30 days to wrap up his [...]
Gerald Powell, Ottawa psychiatrist – incompetent per Discipline Committee
Ottawa Sun Ottawa psychiatrist faces new disciplinary hearing in January after prior suspension By Don Butler December 28, 2016 339 Gilmour St., Ottawa, ON, Canada Ottawa psychiatrist Gerald Powell is facing another hearing next month before the discipline committee of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, less than three years after his licence was suspended for nine months for romantic relationships with two former patients. At the Jan. 10 hearing, Powell will face allegations from the college’s inquiries, complaints and reports committee that he engaged in “disgraceful, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct” with respect to boundary issues with [...]
Japan to Punish 95 Psychiatrists for Illegally Obtaining Licenses – Many of the psychiatrists include heads of hospital psychiatric departments and owners of clinics
The Mainichi Ministry to punish 95 doctors over illicit acquisition of designated psychiatrist's licenses December 31, 2016 (Mainichi Japan) Japanese version Executives of St. Marianna University School of Medicine Hospital bow in apology during a news conference in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, on April 15. (The Asahi Shimbun) The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare is expected to punish 95 doctors for illicitly obtaining and helping others obtain specially designated psychiatrist's licenses, and temporarily suspend most of them from practicing medicine in a move that could adversely affect regional health services. Eighty-nine of the doctors had their specially designated psychiatrist's [...]
Kenneth Pages
Numbers show link between drug company payments and how doctors write prescriptions Kathleen McGroryKathleen McGrory, Times Staff Writer March 17, 2016 Excerpt: ProPublica, based in New York City, describes itself as "an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest." Its analysis looked at about 150,000 doctors in five specialties: cardiovascular disease, family medicine, internal medicine, ophthalmology and psychiatry. More than 9,400 Florida doctors were included. Overall, the analysis found that doctors who received any type of compensation from the industry — even meals alone — were at least two times as likely to prescribe brand-name drugs [...]
London (Canada) Psychiatrist Stanley Dobrowolski, Convicted Sex Offender, Now out on the Street
London Free Press Abusive ex-doc gets parole; Stanley Dobrowolski, jailed for 18 voyeurism, assault convictions in 2014, granted release from prison last month January 6, 2017 Psychiatrist - Stanley Dobrowolski The sex offending, disgraced former London psychiatrist Stanley Dobrowolski is out of prison and on parole. Parole documents show after serving more than half of his four-year sentence behind bars, Dobrowolski was granted statutory release Dec. 21. As part of his release, he's prohibited from having any contact with his victims or their families, giving medical or psychiatric advice and having or accessing pornography. His release comes six months [...]
Perth Child Psychiatrist guilty of filming boys at urinals
PerthNow Perth child psychiatrist Aaron Voon admits to child pornography charges December 1, 2016 Perth child psychiatrist Aaron Voon A PERTH child psychiatrist arrested in Canada in May accused of filming a boy in a public toilet has pleaded guilty to a string of child pornography charges. Dr Aaron Szen Yang Voon, 41, pleaded guilty in Perth Magistrates Court to nine separate charges, including filming boys at urinals and producing and possessing child pornography material in four countries: Canada, the US, New Zealand and Australia. He replied "guilty, your honour" nine times as magistrate Joe Chicchini read out charges [...]
Josip Pasic, Chicago Psychiatrist – License Suspended – Overprescribed Drugs and Sexually Molested Patients
abc7chicago.com REGULATORS: DOCTOR MOLESTED PATIENTS, OVERPRESCRIBED DRUGS December 15, 2016 CHICAGO -- Regulators on Wednesday suspended the license of a Chicago psychiatrist accused of overprescribing narcotics and sexually molesting mentally ill patients. Dr. Josip Pasic engaged in sexual conduct with mentally ill patients to whom he also prescribed opioid painkillers and other drugs, according to an emergency order signed by Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation's acting director, Jessica Baer. One patient, a recovering drug addict, told investigators he endured the doctor touching his groin because he needed his medication and it was difficult to find a doctor who [...]
Delia Podea, Romanian Psychiatrist, detained for 24 hours for bribery, forgery, and abuse of office
Romania-Insider.com New scandal in the Romanian health sector: Psychiatrists accused of using patients as guinea pigs By Irina Popescu June 1, 2016 Psychiatrist Delia Podea The Romanian authorities discover new problems in the local health sector each day. After the huge scandal around the diluted disinfectants used din hospitals for years and the case in which 77 oncologists have been charged with bribery, the prosecutors now investigate dozens of psychiatrists who allegedly used patients as guinea pigs. More than 250 patients admitted to hospitals and medical centers from nearly half of the country allegedly have become victims of the [...]
Thomas Newmark, Cherry Hill psychiatrist, Investigated for Prescribing Dangerous Drugs – Surrenders License
Courier Post South Jersey doc gives up license amid drug probe By Kim Mulford November 7, 2016 Psychiatrist Thomas Newmark NEWARK - The New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners has filed disciplinary actions against a South Jersey doctor for allegedly prescribing highly addictive narcotics to patients without a legitimate medical purpose, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Division of Consumer Affairs announced Monday. Dr. Thomas Newmark, a Cherry Hill psychiatrist, agreed to permanently surrender his medical license after investigators alleged he "indiscriminately prescribed controlled dangerous substances" to his patients. The board began looking into Newmark's record after [...]
Avi Mitra, Connecticut Psychiatrist – restricted by Department of Public Health to protect the public
Connecticut med board revokes 1 doctor’s license; declines to lift order on Hamden psychiatrist By Kate Farrish, Conn. Health I-Team Writer November 16, 2016 Excerpt... Psychiatrist Avi Mitra The board also refused to lift state orders that Dr. Avijit Mitra, a Hamden psychiatrist, be barred from prescribing controlled substances for himself and his wife and that he be permanently restricted from prescribing Suboxone to anyone. Suboxone is used to treat drug addiction. His lawyer, Penny Q. Seaman of New Haven, who had asked the board to lift the state restrictions, said that it is keeping the board of Adult [...]
Aaron Szen Voon, Australian Child Psychiatrist, Pleads Guilty – police found 409 photos of boys urinating in public washrooms on a computer seized from Voon
Global News Child psychiatrist Aaron Voon to face Edmonton porn charges in Australian court By Slav Kornik November 9, 2016 Psychiatrist Aaron-Szen-Voon ignores questions from reporter A child psychiatrist accused of making child pornography at West Edmonton Mall has agreed to plead guilty in Australia, where he faces similar charges. “The accused will face both the charges stemming from Alberta and the charges from his time in Australia,” Alberta Justice and Solicitor General spokesperson Dan Laville said in a statement. “If the accused does not plead guilty to Alberta’s charges, the Crown can still consider bringing him back [...]
Duttala Obul Reddy, Illinois Psychiatrist, agreed to pay $908,000 to settle fraud charges
State Journal Register Springfield psychiatrist agrees to pay $908,000 to settle federal civil complaint November 8, 2016 By Dean Olsen A Springfield psychiatrist whose medical license was taken away by the state for ethical violations has agreed to pay the federal government $908,000 to settle allegations that he falsely billed Medicare and Medicaid. Duttala Obul Reddy, 66, allegedly submitted bills for services provided at central Illinois nursing homes from January 2008 through February 2013, but the care either wasn’t provided to patients at those facilities or “had not been provided to the extent claimed,” according to news release issued Tuesday [...]
Robert Crozier, Canadian Psychiatrist, loses license two years after he was sentenced for sexually assaulting a patient
Toronto Star Doctor stripped of licence two years after pleading guilty in sex assault By Jacques Gallants October 17, 2016 Psychiatrist Robert Crozier The case of a psychiatrist in London, Ont., who was stripped of his medical licence on Monday raises the question of why a licence can’t be yanked immediately after a doctor is found guilty in criminal court of sexually assaulting a patient. Robert Crozier pleaded guilty in court in October 2014 to sexually assaulting Patient A and was sentenced to four months in jail and two years’ probation. He had voluntarily ceased to practise medicine in [...]
Japan revokes licenses of 89 psychiatrists on suspicion they fraudulently acquired their credentials
Japan Times Health ministry revokes licenses of 89 psychiatrists OCT 26, 2016 The health ministry on Wednesday revoked licenses for 89 mental health doctors on suspicion that they fraudulently acquired their credentials. Such a large number of mental health practitioners being subjected to scrutiny at one time is unprecedented. Health minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki took the action against the 89 people following recommendations the same day from a subcommittee of the Medical Ethics Council. The ministry also rejected four of the five current applicants for mental health doctor designation suspected by the panel as having submitted fraudulent applications. Executives of [...]
Robert Hugh Gerner, California psychiatrist, Accused of Sex with Patient, Surrenders License
Daily Mail JANICE DICKINSON's FIANCÉ ACCUSED OF SEX WITH PATIENT ... Loses Medical License By Rebecca Davison October 4, 2016 Psychiatrist Robert Hugh Gerner Janice Dickinson's psychiatrist fiancé Robert Hugh Gerner has reportedly surrendered his doctor's licence after 'engaging in a sexual relationship with a patient.' According to TMZ, the mental health expert, 68, allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with a female patient from 2004 to 2011 and lived with her for three years. While this was before Robert started a relationship with Janice, the reported relationship broke the code of ethics. The site adds that the California [...]
Irwin Ira Rosenfeld, Orange County Psychiatrist, Surrenders Medical License after Patient Deaths
Orange County Register Laguna Hills psychiatrist gives up medical license after addiction deaths By Courtney Perkes Sept. 21, 2016 Psychiatrist Irwin Rosenfeld A Laguna Hills psychiatrist has surrendered his license to practice medicine after allegations that he improperly prescribed to three addicts who died in his care, according to California Medical Board legal documents made public Wednesday. Dr. Irwin Ira Rosenfeld gave up his license, effective this week, to resolve the board’s 2015 case against him that sought to revoke his probation from discipline in a prior matter. In May, a judge barred Rosenfeld from prescribing narcotics pending the [...]
Federal Judge Awards Half-Million Dollar Judgment against Michigan Psychiatrist, Mamoun Dabbagh, for His Involvement in Human Trafficking
nachtlaw.com Federal Judge Awards a Half-Million Dollar Judgment against a Michigan Psychiatrist for His Involvement in Human Trafficking By Nakisha Chaney of NachtLaw September 21, 2016 Psychiatrist Mamoun Dabbagh In a pioneering human trafficking case brought in the Eastern District of Michigan federal court (Docket No. 2:15-cv-10724) by Nakisha Chaney of NachtLaw P.C, Judge Stephen J. Murphy, III this week entered a half-million-dollar judgment against Michigan psychiatrist Mamoun Dabbagh for his role in a human trafficking scheme. The landmark decision, described by Martina Vandenberg of The Human Trafficking Pro Bono Legal Center as "a tremendous victory for human trafficking [...]
Paul Michael Porter, Ontario Psychiatrist, guilty of sexually abusing patient – loses license
Toronto Sun Ontario psychiatrist loses licence after sexually abusing patient By Terry Davidson September 28, 2016 Psychiatrist Paul Porter TORONTO - It’s three strikes and you’re out for a St. Catharines psychiatrist with a history of exploiting patients. The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario has stripped Dr. Paul Michael Porter, 67, of his licence to practise after a disciplinary committee found him guilty of sexually abusing an “extremely vulnerable” patient by “hugging her, kissing her, holding her hand, having her sit on his lap, and making remarks of a sexual nature.” “Patient A,” whose identity is protected [...]
South Florida Psychiatrist Faces Shock Treatment Trial this week – patient (a cardiologist) claims brain damage and severe memory loss
CVN Psychiatrist Faces Trial over Claim Electroshock Therapy Damaged Cardiologist’s Brain By Arlin Crisco October 11, 2016 West Palm Beach, FL — Trial is scheduled to begin this week against a South Florida psychiatrist accused of negligence in overseeing electroshock treatments that allegedly left a cardiologist with brain damage. Dadi v. Sharma, 2011CA16027. According to court documents, cardiologist Dr. Shaul Dadi claims psychiatrist Dr. Praturi Sharma oversaw electroshock therapy, otherwise known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT, on Dadi in 2010 without obtaining the his informed consent. Dadi contends the ECT, intended to treat his depression following the breakup of his [...]
John Griffin, Dublin Psychiatrist – Paid Patient 50,000 after Complaint threat
The Irish Times Psychiatrist paid patient €50,000 after complaint threat Payment could be construed as effort to thwart complaint to Medical Council - report By Paul Cullen Psychiatrist John Griffin A consultant psychiatrist paid a long-time patient €50,000 as part of a “gentleman’s agreement” after he threatened to report him to the Medical Council, an investigation by the State’s largest private mental health service has found. The payment of a personal cheque by Dr John Griffin to the patient as a full and final settlement of a complaint, without admission of liability, was “unconventional”, the investigation by St Patrick’s [...]
NJ Psychiatrist Clarence Verdell, Indicted For Illegally Selling Drugs
Department of Justice U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Pennsylvania FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Wednesday, August 17, 2016 Fourth Suboxone Doctor And Office Manager Indicted For Illegally Selling Prescriptions Of Suboxone And Klonopin Psychiatrist Clarence Verdell PHILADELPHIA – An indictment was filed today charging a doctor and his office manager in a scheme to sell commonly abused prescription drugs in exchange for cash payments. Charged in the conspiracy are: Dr. Clarence Verdell, 66, of Voorhees, NJ and Rochelle Williams-Morrow, 37, of Philadelphia, PA. The indictment includes charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, health care fraud, [...]