Psychiatrist caught in drug investigation

From the York Press, this report about a psychiatrist caught selling drugs over the internet, and getting people hooked on the drugs.

A doctor accused of getting patients hooked on drugs by prescribing them over the internet claimed he was acting in their best interests, the General Medical Council heard.

Dr Julian Eden ordered 60 sedatives for a suicidal 16-year-old boy despite his history of self-harming and psychiatric care.

The teenager, referred to only as Patient A, overdosed two months after being prescribed by Dr Eden - one of Britain's leading online private medical consultants. As reported in Wednesday's Press, Patient A had a history of bullying and threatening staff at Lime Trees Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Service, in Shipton Road, York, when they refused to supply him with drugs. The doctor admitted there were flaws with his website, e-med, but denied he failed the teenager.

Dr Eden told the panel he prescribed patient A with the beta-blocker drugs Propranolol because he had originally asked for the more powerful drug benzodiazepine.

Propranolol is used to treat hypertension and was prescribed by Dr Eden when he refused to give Patient A benzodiazepine without a face-to-face consultation.

"The problem with Patient A was he initially said the problem seemed to be short term anxiety which he wanted help with," he said.

Dr Eden said it was only after his initial prescription that Patient A began to give more details about himself.

Patient A had told the doctor via email that he was only 16, had a borderline personality disorder, and was a regular user of cannabis.

He also told the doctor he had a history of self harming and suicide attempts. Dr Eden said: "For me to just completely blank him, as if saying in a face-to-face consultation, there's the door, I can do nothing for you', I think would be very harsh treatment from a doctor. So I wanted to continue with the Propranolol for him because it appeared to be treating the anxiety whilst keeping him on side.

"I felt at the time that with such a display of complex psychologoical problems that this was not somebody you just close the door to, you have to maintain a thread of contact."

Earlier in the hearing, Dr Gregory Richardson, a consultant psychiatrist at Lime Trees, said he had specifically kept Patient A off drugs for the three years he treated him.

Dr Eden, who is registered in Battersea and whose e-med service is based in London, admits prescribing Patient A without seeking to speak to his GP, and issuing of a repeat prescription from of Propranolol was inappropriate, but denies it was irresponsible and not in his best interests.

The hearing also involves a number of other patients from across the country.

Dr Eden denies his fitness to practice is impaired. The hearing continues.