Doctor escapes ban due to medical council’s flawed drug tests
The psychiatrist has finally won the right to keep practising but under strict conditions
A doctor suspended for suspected heroin use will be allowed to keep practising after successfully arguing the NSW Medical Council’s drug testing regime was flawed.
The psychiatrist was suspended under emergency powers in July 2020 after returning five consecutive positive hair test results and two positive urine test results, separated by two negative results.
Seven months later, he won an appeal, having claimed the test results were more likely from poppy-seed consumption or picking up the sweat of a third party who was misusing opioids.
He was backed by addiction specialist Professor Paul Haber, who told a tribunal the results were “barely over the threshold for a positive result”.
