Doctor is suspended for prescribing a drug for pornography "addiction" without giving the risks
BMJ October 17, 2011 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d6699 via OpenAlex
Summary
A doctor in London was suspended for six months for administering the unlicensed drug ibogaine to a patient with an obsession with internet pornography without adequately informing him of the risks. Ibogaine is sometimes used to help heroin addicts by reducing withdrawal symptoms, but it induces a dreamlike state lasting 20-30 hours, requiring supervision during its effects.
Study at a glance
| Population | a man obsessed with internet pornography |
|---|---|
| Key finding | The doctor was suspended for not fully explaining the risks of ibogaine before administering it to a patient. |
Abstract
A doctor in private practice has been suspended for six months by the General Medical Council for giving the unlicensed hallucinogenic drug ibogaine to a man obsessed with internet pornography without fully explaining the drug’s risks. Peter Brackenridge, who saw private patients in London’s Harley Street, was medical director of Ibogaine Therapy UK, which advertised the treatment on a website. The drug, which has been used experimentally as a one-off “detox” treatment for heroin addicts because it can minimise or eliminate withdrawal symptoms, puts those who take it into a dreamlike state. Its initial effects usually last for 20-30 hours, during which someone must be with …