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A FAMILY doctor has suceeded in getting his three-month suspension overturned.
Dr Paul Ho was slapped with the suspension order earlier this year and fined $1,000 for carelessly prescribing Subutex to patients and failing to keep proper records.
A panel of judges overturned the suspection but refused to absolve him of 19 charges of professional misconduct and fined the general practitioner $2,500.
While the decision was made in October, the Singapore Medical Council announced it publicly on Wednesday. Dr Ho could not be contacted for comments.
Subutex is used to help heroin addicts kick the habit. But instead of using Subutuex to help wean themselves off heroin, some addicts take it to get high. This led to the emergence of a thriving Subutex black market, driven partly by doctors who failed to carry out sufficient checks on patients.
Subutex was criminalised in August last year. The medical council claimed Dr Ho had 'failed to exercise due care' in managing the patients after prescribing Subutex and did not keep detailed records.
The council also censured the GP, who practices at Ho Medical Clinic located at Block 6C Margaret Drive.
He later appealed against the 19 charges of professional misconduct and this was heard in the High Court in October, the medical council said.
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