Indian-Origin Doctor Faces Suspension in Singapore Over Prescription Errors

Singapore: A 61-year-old Indian-origin doctor in Singapore, Maninder Singh Shahi, has been suspended from practicing medicine for three years due to inappropriate prescription practices. Shahi, with 35 years of experience, pleaded guilty to 14 charges of professional misconduct from 2002 to 2016.

He was found guilty of wrongly prescribing long-term sedative medications, including benzodiazepines, zopiclone, or zolpidem, to seven patients, three of whom were elderly. Shahi, running a busy practice with 40 to 70 patients daily, failed to refer patients to specialists promptly and lacked sufficient details in medical records.

The disciplinary tribunal, accepting the Singapore Medical Council’s recommendations, censured Shahi and mandated a written undertaking not to repeat such actions. He also bears the cost of proceedings. The tribunal highlighted the potential harm caused by Shahi’s actions, exposing patients to the risk of serious injury.

Despite Shahi’s claim of aiming to help patients, the tribunal emphasized the prolonged period of offending, rejecting his plea for a shorter sentence due to prosecution delays. While acknowledging Shahi’s unblemished record, guilty plea, and cooperation, the tribunal stressed the real risk of patients developing dependency on prescribed medications during the extended period of misconduct.