Dr Christopher Bevan Paltridge in 2007 when he was charged with drink driving. Photo / NZME
A doctor who imported and prescribed testosterone and steroids to a drug-seeking patient who had already suffered a severe brain injury because of drug abuse, has been suspended for six months.
But the suspension ended in March and Auckland GP and former sexual health doctor Christopher Bevan Paltridge is still registered to practise in New Zealand.
Paltridge was also guilty of importing human growth hormones and performance and image-enhancing drugs in the names of his patients who never received the medication, including one living overseas and another who had died. Then he lied about it to Medsafe.
Paltridge has a history of professional misconduct after he was found guilty in 2011 of prescribing hormone therapy to menopausal women without consulting or examining them.
In that case, the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal censured and ordered Paltridge to pay costs of $65,000. In 2007, he was charged with drink driving.
In a decision released today by the tribunal, it again found Paltridge guilty of professional misconduct, this time on charges relating to his work at the NZ Men’s Clinic.
The tribunal said Paltridge failed to adequately document the full medical history of a patient with a long history of body dysmorphia, excessive bodybuilding and bulimia, who presented in April 2014 with low sex-drive and a heart condition secondary to bodybuilding activities, among other conditions.
He also did not investigate Mr E’s brain injury or consult the man’s GP, which the tribunal said was negligent.
“If Dr Paltridge had carried out the above, it would have been clear to him that Mr E was drug seeking and in danger of an adverse outcome from ongoing anabolic abuse,” the tribunal said.
In October 2016, Paltridge imported two years’ worth of testosterone from an overseas pharmacy in Mr E’s name but did not prescribe the medication to him.
Paltridge said he imported the medication to stock his clinic for the supply of other patients when needed.
The tribunal said this was manipulation and malpractice.
In November that year, Mr E emailed the NZ Men’s Clinic and asked for human growth hormone and was told it would cost $495 per box.
A month later, Mr E was prescribed testosterone over six months despite there being no clinical indication the drug was necessary.
He then failed to monitor Mr E or any side-effects and the tribunal said Paltridge did not have the patient’s wellbeing as his paramount concern.
“Not only was his conduct negligent, but it was a clear neglect of his professional duty and this conduct is likely to bring discredit to the profession.”
Even after Mr E’s GP warned Paltridge the patient was drug-seeking, Paltridge continued to prescribe medication to the man and lied to the other doctor.
“Dr Paltridge denied prescribing any anabolic steroids and told Dr U that he had seen Mr E only for minor issues for which he prescribed multivitamins.”
Between February 2011 and September 2016, Paltridge imported or directed others to import prescription medicines where the named patients were not under his care and did not receive the drugs.
During that six-year period, Paltridge imported 28 separate amounts of performance and image-enhancing drugs [PIEDs], medicines including steroids, and human growth hormone [HGH].
He said this was to stock his clinic but the medicines were not for dispensing or prescribing to the named patients.
Between February 28, 2011 and November 17, 2015, Paltridge provided six patient lists to Medsafe which included the name of his patient, Mr K, who unbeknown to the doctor was living overseas at the time.
Another patient, Mr A’s name, was recorded in nine of Paltridge’s patient lists for testosterone and HGH importations from October 2012 to September 2016. However, Mr A died in 2012.
The tribunal said Medsafe and dispensing pharmacists must be able to trust a doctor’s prescription and importation lists, and Paltridge’s actions were unethical.
“The tribunal finds that Dr Paltridge’s conduct in ordering medications for patients he was not treating is a significant breach of his obligations and undermines the confidence that other entities and the public at large may have in the medical profession.”
Between October 2012 and January 2017 the doctor prescribed and imported testosterone and HGH, together with other agents to counteract the effects of testosterone abuse, to six patients he did not hold medical records for.
A complaint was made about Paltridge by Mr E’s sister in December 2016 followed by a notification to the Medical Council in February 2017 about the doctor’s prescribing to Mr E, from ACC.
The professional conduct committee, which investigated and brought the charges in relation to nine patients, said the misconduct was at the most serious end of the spectrum.
This was because of the patterns of prescribing drugs of potential abuse, including medications not registered for use in New Zealand, and the importation of drugs by providing inaccurate patient lists to Medsafe knowing the named patients were not the recipients.
Many of the drugs had potent effects, particularly on the endocrine system, and were usually prescribed to a patient by or with the involvement of an endocrinologist, the tribunal noted.
It was submitted that Paltridge’s conduct put individuals at serious risk over a sustained period of time.
However, Paltridge’s lawyer Harry Waalkens said the doctor was now very different and since 2017 had worked as a GP at Waiake Medical Centre.
Waalkens said there was no chance of a repeat, that Paltridge no longer imported prescription medicines and he had significant and appropriate insight.
“He is particularly saddened that Mr E has seemingly suffered adverse outcomes, which were never intended.”
Waalkens said Paltridge was now a well-respected and competent practitioner and more than 30 references were provided.
These were from his current clinical and non-clinical colleagues, several patients, and the facility manager of the local rest home, where Paltridge provided services to the residents.
However, the tribunal said Paltridge had prior knowledge of Mr E’s drug abuse when prescribing drugs that could be abused.
“Mr E’s history made him particularly vulnerable, and Dr Paltridge’s prescribing to him was disgraceful.”
It said his repeated prescriptions for patients not in his care and importation lists to Medsafe knowing the names listed would not receive the medication was premeditated and determined.
And that importing, prescribing, and dispensing unregistered drugs and prescribing a drug not approved for human use in New Zealand, put patients at serious risk of harm.
The tribunal suspended Paltridge for six months from September 20 last year, meaning the suspension had now lapsed, fined him $5000, and ordered him to pay costs of $35,000.
It also imposed conditions on his practice for the next three years including that he not prescribe, import, or dispense testosterone, HGH, or any anabolic steroid.
He must not work solo and must inform his current and future employers of the tribunal’s decision.
The tribunal also recommended Paltridge be audited within 12 months of returning to practice.
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