A state administrative law judge has ruled that an Alaska anesthesiologist accused of overprescribing painkillers to clients presented an "immediate danger" to the public and the State Medical Board was correct in summarily suspending his medical license.
The Monday decision by Cheryl Mandala, the administrative law judge, could help set the stage for the possible full revocation of Mahmood Ahmad's medical license by the state board.
The board suspended Ahmad's license on May 6 after a state investigation found he was prescribing life-threatening amounts of controlled substances such as methadone, Xanax and oxycodone.
Ahmad appealed the suspension, leading to a multiday hearing before Mandala in Anchorage.
Ahmad, who faces similar trouble in Arkansas, where he also practices, began seeing clients in Alaska in early 2015, operating United Pain Care in a medical building on Lake Otis Parkway. He sometimes saw more than 40 patients a day during short trips to Alaska, the decision noted.
In her decision, Mandala said the Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing met its burden in proving Ahmad's practices pose a clear and immediate danger to public health and safety.
She said the suspension should continue until the matter is resolved.
Because of the emergency nature of the allegations, the medical board might take up the issue before its next regularly scheduled meeting in August, said Rachel Cozad, law office assistant in the office of administrative hearings.
The parties in the case — the state and Ahmad — have until Wednesday to respond to the judge's decision, providing additional information for the board's consideration, said Cozad.