Quebec Doctors Blacklisted: Health Canada’s Prescription Ban List

A dozen Quebec doctors are on a Health Canada list, which prevents them from prescribing narcotics, such as powerful opioids.

This ban means that a patient who comes to a pharmacy with a prescription from one of these doctors would be refused access to controlled medications. Health Canada cites three reasons that could lead to such limitations among doctors:

• They were convicted of a drug offense under the Criminal Code;
• They contravened a rule of conduct established by their professional order;
• They no longer wish to prescribe controlled drugs or narcotics.

For some professionals, the ban dates back as far as 15 years ago. The College of Physicians of Quebec (CMQ) confirms that the limitations mainly target opioids, but also benzodiazepines. These powerful medications can lead to dependence and are subject to increased surveillance by the College, which analyzes prescriptions signed by doctors.

However, it remains difficult to know what these doctors are accused of and why their right to practice was so severely restricted. “The reasons leading to exercise limitation are confidential, but the limitation is public,” explains Leslie Labranche of the CMQ.

For three doctors targeted by a limitation, a disciplinary decision nevertheless lifts the veil on the actions with which they were accused.

False prescriptions

Quebec cardiologist Jean-Pierre Déry was expunged and placed on the restrictive list since 2012, since he had prescribed large quantities of Dilaudid, an analgesic for pain, to a loved one. The doctor injected the medicine himself and obtained it with false prescriptions.

Family doctor Réjean Vanier found himself on the list in 2017 due to an addiction to benzodiazepines, medications for anxiety and insomnia. In particular, he used his patients’ prescriptions for his personal use.

The limitation imposed on doctor Isabelle Larouche prevents her from prescribing benzodiazepines in CHSLDs. She prescribed a “staggering” number of prescriptions to a loved one, for medications including Ativan, Concerta and Oxycodone. What was supposed to be a repair turned into a “vicious circle”, according to the doctor.

Dr. David Michael Stitt, who worked this fall at GMF les Collines de Wakefield in Outaouais, suddenly abandoned his patients by leaving before Christmas.

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Last month, The Journal reported that the D^r David Michael Stitt, who suddenly left the medical clinic where he worked, was also on Health Canada’s blacklist. The College also accuses him of a series of infractions, for which disciplinary hearings will take place in the spring.

Opioid crisis

The opioid crisis rocking the country stems in part from the large quantities of opioids prescribed to people suffering from chronic pain, particularly in the United States, says Dr.^r Raoul Daoust.

An emergency doctor and researcher on pain treatments, he believes that “we had to send the message that it is dangerous” and that it is important for doctors to prescribe small, non-renewable quantities.

However, he is sad that patients will sometimes refuse them due to episodes of acute pain.

The 12 doctors on Health Canada’s “black list”

1. Christopher Birch
2. The-Bao Bui
3. Jean-Pierre Déry
4. Denis Duranleau
5. Joseph Gauze
6. Isabelle Larouche
7. Michael S. Lazarus
8. Dominique J. Nadon
9. Rejean Rock
10. Ann Elizabeth Rothman
11. David Michael Stitt
12. Réjean Vanier