Doctor struck off over drug charges

Johannes Wilson during his 2006 appearance at a medical tribunal where he was found guilty of misconduct. Photo / One News

A doctor alleged to have a gang association and a reputation for supplying anabolic steroids to body builders has been struck off the register on charges relating to irregular prescribing.

Johannes Wilson was understood to have left the country and did not appear or defend himself at the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal (HPDT) hearing in Auckland yesterday and today.

Dr Wilson was found guilty of all of eight charges laid by the Medical Council's Professional Conduct Committee, including importing Jintropin, a non-consented growth hormone, without the testing data required under the Medicines Act 1981.

Dr Wilson ran three Auckland clinics from 2001: a men's health clinic, a clinic associated with a gym and a solo practice.

A witness who had been a body builder said Dr Wilson would inject him and fellow body builders with steroids and other body-enhancing drugs in quick consultations without any physical examination or history taken.

In September 2006, customs seized two parcels containing 50 ampoules of Jintropin addressed to Dr Wilson. He later admitted to Medsafe senior investigator Nicola Squire he did not have the required testing data.

Two of the charges related to Dr Wilson prescribing an erectile dysfunction drug and a weight loss drug, respectively, to two people, who were in fact Medsafe investigators, without consultations. The investigators simply phoned the men's health clinic he ran and asked for the drugs.

Other charges related to prescribing large quantities of a non-consented drug that Dr Wilson had compounded for his patients consisting of 60 per cent ephedrine and 30 per cent caffeine.

Between May 2003 and July 2007, Dr Wilson ordered more than 1.1 million tablets, each containing 60mg ephedrine.

Many scripts appeared to be written for Dr Wilson or fictitious patients.

Another witness reported seeing large numbers of prescriptions for Sudomyl, Xanax and Paradex at Dr Wilson's solo practice written out for patients not registered with the practice and who did not receive the drugs.

The witness claimed he saw a senior Head Hunters gang member, his girlfriend, and another man, calling at Dr Wilson's practice to collect large quantities of Sudomyl.

Medsafe lodged a formal complaint about Dr Wilson in January 2008 and his annual practising certificate was suspended from April 2008 until it expired in February 2009 when it was not renewed.

Dr Wilson was found guilty of all eight charges, fined $20,000 and ordered to pay half of the total costs of the investigation and hearing of $66,000.

In July 2006, Dr Wilson was found guilty of professional misconduct for three failed vasectomies on two men. He was ordered to pay $150,000 in compensation to one couple who twice got pregnant after failed sterilisations.

- NZPA