Doctor struck off for drugging suicidal student
A Swedish doctor employed at Stockholm University has lost his licence after prescribing "for the right fee" benzodiazepine - a drug also known as roofies, moggies or downers - to a student who later tried to commit suicide.
A mother claimed that the doctor prescribed her son whatever he asked for, as long as the doctor was paid for it.
Sveriges Television (SVT) reported on Friday that the state's Health Responsibility Board (Hälso- och ansvarsnämnden - HSAN) had reviewed the doctor's case and decided to strip him of his license.
"There was at least one patient who was very hard hit and tried to take their life," HSAN chairwoman Aud Sjökvist told SVT. The patient has since recovered, but his family said he would have been restored to health much faster had he been given the correct medication from the start.
The board's verdict stated that the doctor's "generous prescription of benzodiazepines was upsetting and showed no judgment".
The doctor has also been ordered to leave his post at Stockholm University (SU).
"As he doesn't have his permit he can't work as a doctor. So we cannot keep him here," SU head lawyer Jenny Gardbrant told SVT. The university has some 65,000 students and the school's management now plans to look into whether any other students have been prescribed too many or the wrong type of drugs.
"We are investigating how far back in the records we can look," Gardbrant explained.
The Local/at
Comments
See Also
A mother claimed that the doctor prescribed her son whatever he asked for, as long as the doctor was paid for it.
Sveriges Television (SVT) reported on Friday that the state's Health Responsibility Board (Hälso- och ansvarsnämnden - HSAN) had reviewed the doctor's case and decided to strip him of his license.
"There was at least one patient who was very hard hit and tried to take their life," HSAN chairwoman Aud Sjökvist told SVT. The patient has since recovered, but his family said he would have been restored to health much faster had he been given the correct medication from the start.
The board's verdict stated that the doctor's "generous prescription of benzodiazepines was upsetting and showed no judgment".
The doctor has also been ordered to leave his post at Stockholm University (SU).
"As he doesn't have his permit he can't work as a doctor. So we cannot keep him here," SU head lawyer Jenny Gardbrant told SVT. The university has some 65,000 students and the school's management now plans to look into whether any other students have been prescribed too many or the wrong type of drugs.
"We are investigating how far back in the records we can look," Gardbrant explained.
The Local/at
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.