Doctor found culpable in patient's narcotic addiction ends 50-year career with forced resignation

An Ontario doctor who gave up his licence to practice after admitting his prescribing practices contributed to a patient’s narcotic addiction has been reprimanded and ordered to pay $6,000 in hearing costs. Dr. Harvey Stephen Pasternak, who practised in Toronto and was registered with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario for almost five decades, accepted an undertaking to resign permanently from medicine in February 2021, in Canada or any other jurisdiction This was not the first time Dr. Pasternak had been investigated and sanctioned by the college. In 2018, he was reprimanded and placed under 12 months of clinical supervision of his prescribing of narcotics and controlled substances. He was also required to keep a prescription log for these medications, and ordered to pay court costs of $10,180. Read: Family doctor loses licence after incompetence, sex assault charges That first case arose after an emergency room physician expressed concern to the college about a female patient who was taken to the hospital for a possible narcotics overdose. An expert hired by the college found the patient had been provided large doses of opioid and benzodiazepine, along with dose escalations and medication changes but without a physical assessment or any reassessments to determine the effectiveness of the dose increases and medication changes. This investigation led to a broader review of 15 other patients’ records, which found that in 14 cases Dr. Pasternak potentially exposed his patients to harm. An expert in the second and most recent complaint concluded that Dr. Pasternak “did not meet the standard of practice, displayed a lack of knowledge, skill and judgement and exposed or likely exposed his patient to harm or injury.” In its reprimand, the discipline tribunal admonished Dr. Pasternak for his role in aggravating his patient’s narcotic addiction issues, and highlighted his past misconduct. “Most physicians never appear before this tribunal, yet this is the second time this tribunal has made a finding of professional misconduct against you,” stated the reprimand, which was delivered through videoconference. “Your encounters with Patient A over many years and the resulting adverse outcomes speak volumes as to why you should never practise medicine again. Your actions are an embarrassment to your professional colleagues.” Read: REVOKED: Toronto doctor sexually assaulted patient and invited her to 'arousal sessions'

Doctor found culpable in patient's narcotic addiction ends 50-year career with forced resignation

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