Woman given wrong meds loses baby

The woman was prescribed three different drugs, for high blood pressure, chest and knee pain. Photo / Getty

An Australian doctor who prescribed inappropriate medication to a pregnant woman, whose unborn child subsequently died, has been banned from practising obstetrics in the future.

Dr Sunil Kumar Dan, a 73-year-old GP from Moree in NSW, has been found guilty of unsatisfactory professional conduct by the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission.

In 2012 he prescribed the woman three different drugs used to treat high blood pressure and chest and knee pain, which should not be given to pregnant women.

Dr Dan admitted he inappropriately prescribed the drugs and failed to conduct a review of the woman's medication at 13, 17, and 26 weeks into her pregnancy.

"The reason he gave for continuing the medication was simply that it had been human error," the commission's report said, adding that Dr Dan has had no formal training in obstetrics apart from what he had learned at medical school.

"The Committee noted that Dr Dan's clinical notes did not record any advice given to
the patient regarding the risks to her pregnancy of the medication he was prescribing," the report said.

"When asked whether he had done so, Dr Dan said that it was not possible to document everything. We were not satisfied that he had in fact given the patient any such warnings."
The woman had been a patient of Dr Dan's since 1989 and he treated her for hypertension in 2009.

"Dr Dan expressed deep regret in regard to the prescription of medications for the patient during her pregnancy, and the consequences," the report said.

Dr Dan has sought to ameliorate his situation since the tragic events of 2012 which eventually led to the death of the child. The Committee understands the death was likely to have been associated with the Micardis Plus and Caduet Patient A was inappropriately prescribed during her pregnancy.

Dr Dan has since been banned from undertaking any antenatal consultations or any obstetric practice from July 25.

He can only practice in a group setting approved by the Medical Council of NSW, supervised by at least three other registered medical practitioners, and treat no more than 60 patients per week.

To protect the identity of the mother, no information about her or the circumstances of her unborn child's death has been released.