GP struck off for prescribing to overseas patients online

A GP who prescribed drugs to patients overseas via the Internet without any form of consultation has been struck off the medical register for three years.

A GP who prescribed drugs to patients overseas via the Internet without any form of consultation has been struck off the medical register for three years.

The NSW Medical Tribunal found Sydney GP John McKenzie guilty of professional misconduct for prescribing online up to 400 times from 2000 to 2007, to patients located in the United States.

The case was brought before the tribunal by the Health Care Complaints Commission (HCCC) after it was alerted to Mr McKenzie's unusual prescribing patterns by the PBS.

The tribunal heard that Mr McKenzie had twice been suspended in 2000 and 2001 for prescribing to overseas patients; these suspensions were later lifted when he agreed to work with conditions on his registration.

But despite these conditions, the tribunal heard he continued the practice – up until September 2007 when the PBS alerted the HCCC. 

Mr McKenzie denied he had continued the practice until that date; however, documents from 2007 bearing his signature convinced the tribunal otherwise.

Mr McKenzie admitted his conduct demonstrated that his judgement was "significantly below the standard reasonably expected of a practitioner", but he did not accept that his knowledge or skill was below standard.

"With the benefit of hindsight, I acknowledge that my actions were unacceptable," he said.

The tribunal also found Mr McKenzie had kept and self-administered Schedule 8 drugs over the same period, although prohibited from doing so under his registration conditions.

Mr McKenzie, who has not practised medicine since 2008 due to a "lack of interest", will not be eligible to apply for re-registration until 2014. He was also ordered to pay the HCCC's costs.