LONDON, Ontario, May 26, 2014 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A London-based fertility doctor specializing in artificial insemination has been banned from the practice for life by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario after he was charged and found guilty of endangering patients' lives.
The College issued the ruling against Dr. James Martin, owner of the Southern Ontario Fertility Treatment facility, on May 20 following a disciplinary hearing.
“Your actions have disgraced not only yourself, but also the profession as a whole and have put your patients at risk,” said Dr. Eric Stanton of the College’s discipline committee, according to the National Post. “The behaviour cannot — indeed, will not — be condoned.”
The College had originally charged Martin with failure to maintain the standard of practice of the profession, dishonourable or unprofessional conduct, and incompetence, after investigating complaints lodged by two of his female patients.
One of the women alleged she almost died from an ectopic pregnancy that Martin failed to detect after inseminating her, while the other claimed that repeated doses of the ovary-stimulating drug estradiol administered by Martin led to severe complications and emergency surgery.
Following his admission of failing to maintain the standard of practice of the profession the College dropped the other charges.
As well as being banned from performing artificial insemination treatments for life, Martin's medical license was suspended for two months, he was ordered to pay $40,000 in costs, and assigned courses in ethics and medical-records management.
The College allowed him, however, to continue practicing reproductive endocrinology, which is the treatment of reproductive hormonal problems, and to interpret fertility-related ultrasound images under the supervision of a clinical supervisor acceptable to the College.
The full text of the College’s ruling against Martin is available here.