Psychiatrist Carlo Carandang of Dalhousie University reprimanded for sex with prostitutes

November 5, 2012

A Halifax psychiatrist who paid for sexual services from prostitutes, including one under 18, has been reprimanded by the the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia.

Yet Dr. Carlo Carandang — also an assistant professor of psychiatry at Dalhousie University — has not been charged with any criminal offence.

The college announced Friday that an interim suspension issued on Dec. 11, 2011, on his licence had been lifted on Oct. 4., but he is not practising at the moment.

Carandang’s activities did not come to the college’s attention because of a complaint from any of the women. “I was made aware, as head of the college, of these activities as a result of contact from law enforcement (last December),” said Dr. Gus Grant, registrar and CEO of the college.

Halifax Regional Police spokesman Const. Pierre Bourdages said as in any case he could not even confirm whether Carandang was the subject of an investigation because no charges have been laid.

Carandang holds a “defined” licence which requires him to have another doctor as a sponsor in order to practise in Nova Scotia. Grant said Carandang can’t practise here because he doesn’t have a sponsor.

“A defined licence is given to … international medical graduates who may be missing certain exams or qualifications of the Canadian graduate,” Grant explained in an interview Friday.

In its investigation, the college found no evidence that Carandang’s sexual activities involved any of his patients. Much of his practice focuses on providing care to youth.

“To our knowledge, and this was obviously the focus of the investigation committee, (his actions) did not directly affect patient care,” Grant said.

However, Carandang’s activities did interfere somewhat with his practice, said Grant, noting that he texted one of the women to plan their next sexual meeting while seeing patients.

Although the suspension of his licence was lifted on Oct. 4, on Oct. 19 he consented to a reprimand from the college for soliciting sexual services from an unnamed minor (he believed her to be in her early 20s); misrepresenting information to the committee with respect to the number of sex trade workers he hired and about the extent of his relationship with the minor; for failing to be forthcoming to his sponsor about his relationships with these women; and failing to show insight into the effect of his conduct.

He admitted to all of the college’s allegations.

Carandang has agreed to a number of conditions being placed on his practice. He must continue to regularly attend Sex Addicts Anonymous meetings and practise psychiatry in a group setting that includes at least one psychiatrist.

As well, his own psychiatrist and psychologist must receive a copy of the committee’s decision and provide reports to the college of Carandang’s progress and any relapses.

Carandang must also provide a copy of his relapse prevention plan to the college and continue long-term psychotherapy as recommended by his psychiatrist and psychologist.

The college’s decision does not give dates for the offences because Carandang’s activities were ongoing until the college became aware of the situation, Grant said.

Carandang has been practising in Nova Scotia since August 2005. Before that he practised in the United States.

Charles Crosby, a Dalhousie University spokesman, said Carandang, who has been on an academic appointment for some time, is not teaching or doing any clinical work, and is not being paid by Dalhousie.

“In fact, it was decided when this matter arose about a year ago that the academic appointment would be allowed to lapse next June when it would come up,” Crosby said Friday. “But there’s no other affiliation with the university beyond the standing academic appointment.”

Carandang is also the assistant editor for the Journal of the Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, according to his biography on Dalhousie’s website.

An American, he received his medical degree and completed his general psychiatry residency in Texas. He subsequently moved to New England and completed a child psychiatry fellowship at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Source: Sherri Borden Colley, "Psychiatrist had sex with prostitutes, but faces no criminal charges," Herald News, November 2, 2012.