Queensland Psychiatrist Anand M. Choudhary Suspended Six Months for Writing False Prescriptions for ED Meds for Self

December 20, 2021

A psychiatrist who stole blank prescription forms and wrote false scripts to get drugs for treating erectile dysfunction has had his registration suspended for six months.

After he was caught out, Dr. Anand Madhukarrao Choudhary faked an email from the Office of the Health Ombudsman (OHO), to make out he had reported his own bad conduct, Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal (QCAT) heard.

Choudhary was deputy director of medical services at Caboolture and Kilroy Hospitals when he committed the fraud, attempted fraud and theft offences.

He stole blank prescription forms from colleagues on two occasions in 2018 and 2019, QCAT heard.

Doctor Anand Madhukarrao Choudhary wrote false scripts for erectile dysfunction medication has been suspended for six months.

After stealing a script from Caloundra Private Clinic in 2018, he hand-wrote a script for 48 tablets of a drug used for treating erectile dysfunction, for Madhukar Choudry.

The signature on the script purported to be that of a colleague who had the prescription pad.

He then presented the script at a Caloundra pharmacy to obtain the medication.

In 2019, he again stole a prescription form from a colleague’s pad, at Caloundra Private Clinic, and signed a prescription in the name of Anand Choudhary, QCAT heard.

It was for another 48 tablets of the same drug and the signature purported to be that of the colleague.

However, when he attempted to have the prescription filled at the same Caloundra pharmacy, the pharmacist phoned the doctor whose signature had been forged and the prescription was not filled.

That doctor spoke to Choudhary, but he initially denied taking the prescription, filling it and falsely signing it, but later admitted it.

Choudhary made admissions to the Director of Medical Services at Caloundra Private Clinic, who suggested he voluntarily notify a regulation agency and the Office of the Health Ombudsman.

He presented the fake scripts to a pharmacy in Caloundra.

Choudhary later forged an email purporting to be from the OHO, with the OHO logo, which said it had received notification of his conduct, QCAT heard.

The email said the matter had been referred to the Australian Health Practitioners’ Regulation Authority, and said there did not appear to be grounds for registration suspension or cancellation.

Choudhary later admitted he had falsely created the fictitious email using words from a previous email he had received from the OHO.

He told the tribunal he had been motivated by feelings of extreme shame and a sense of panic.

It was only after the health care service that oversaw Caloundra Private Clinic wrote to AHPRA regarding Choudhary’s supposed self-reporting that he came under investigation and was charged.

In 2019, Choudhary pleaded guilty to two counts of stealing, fraud and attempted fraud and was fined $1200, with no convictions recorded.

The tribunal heard Choudhary had experienced work, personal and financial stressors including diagnosis of type two diabetes, erectile dysfunction symptoms and marital tensions in 2018.

Choudhary resigned from his employment with Metro North Hospital and Health Service in February, last year.

He has continued to work as a psychiatrist at Caboolture Private Hospital and Pine Rivers Private Hospital and has rooms at two suburban medical centers.

A psychiatrist later diagnosed Choudhary with an anxiety disorder which improved with treatment and reduced work stressors.

The tribunal said the theft of prescription sheets from a colleague’s pad was a gross betrayal of trust.

A six-month suspension of registration, from November 28, was required because of the lengths Choudhary went to avoid regulatory action, the tribunal said.

Choudhary was also reprimanded for professional misconduct.

Source: Kay Dibben, “Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal suspends psychiatrist for ‘gross betrayal of trust’,” Courier Mail, Dec. 8, 2021.