A FITNESS TO practice committee has found a Dublin doctor over-prescribed sleeping pills to a patient who was addicted to them.

The Medical Council committee found that 11 allegations of 15 against Dr Mohammed Ahmed Khan resulted in professional misconduct.

Khan was found to have prescribed Stilnoct sleeping medication on one or more occasions in an inappropriate manner. The Medical Council committee also found he continued to do this even when he knew his patient had an addiction to the medication.

Further to this, Khan gave the patient a prescription for Stilnoct in a different person’s name, failed to keep accurate records and even destroyed some records. He also falsely stated to the council that the person was not his patient.

The committee found that the treatment afforded to the patient was “disgraceful and dishonourable” and recommended that his registration be cancelled.

His legal representation has pleaded for a lesser sanction for Khan, revealing in a submission that the doctor himself is demonstrating symptoms of depression and has also been struggling to meet his debts since the suspension of his registration in January.

His barrister Venetia Taylor said he accepts the allegations that were proven against him were “dishonest and disgraceful behaviour”. However she said he is now in his 65th year and the cancellation of his registration would essentially end his career with no possibility of different, suitable employment.

His case will now go before the High Court for decision.

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