Quebec acupuncturist who reused needles suspended three months, fined $30K

The Quebec Order of Acupuncturists suspended a practitioner for three months and fined him $30,000 for, among other things, reusing and not sterilizing needles.

The order's disciplinary council found that Gasan Askerow failed to prevent infections by not setting up his office “in a such a way as to ensure the cleanliness and hygiene to the practice of acupuncture."

According to the court document, he did not have an easily accessible sink, did not pick up a needle left on the floor in his office and left “acupuncture needles lying around unsafely in various places.”

He also stored “single-use acupuncture needles for later use,” according to the ruling.

"Quite frankly we were shocked. I was certainly, personally shocked," said order president Maxime Deshaies.

Deshaies said there are around 1,000 acupuncturists in Quebec who have been regulated since 1995, and that reusable needles have been forbidden since 2003.

"It's the first case we've ever seen from an actual acupuncturist to reuse needles," said Deshaies. "This is unacceptable in any way shape or form."

He said that the vast majority of acupuncturists were already using single-use needles as of 2003.

"It's quite mind-boggling," said Deshaies.

The health and social services centres in Quebec City and Montreal opened an investigation on April 3, prompted by the Quebec Order of Acupuncturists' report.

The two agencies have asked the Quebec Institute of Public Health (INSPQ) to "assess the risk of infection associated with the treatments offered by the acupuncturist."

CIUSSS spokesperson Stephanie Roy said around 350 patients were seen by the acupuncturist in Capitale-Nationale region, in addition to 20 from other regions of Quebec. Fewer than 10 were treated in Montreal.

Both the Montreal and Quebec City agencies said they are not aware of any cases of hepatitis or HIV infections linked to the inquiry and that the risk of infection is low.

The investigation is ongoing.

Both the Montreal and Quebec City health authorities recommend anyone who was treated by Askerow to book an appointment for an HIV, hepatitis B and C screening.

The disciplinary ruling added that Askerow did not keep proper records of his patients and failed to set up his consultation room to provide proper confidentiality.

"The respondent failed to respect the modesty and/or dignity of one of his patients, in particular," the ruling reads. "By treating her while she had only kept her underwear on, without offering her a towel or jacket to cover herself, [and] by failing to completely close the curtains in patient treatment rooms, thereby exposing them to the view of other people inside the clinic."

Askerow pleaded guilty to the complaints on April 26.

It is not the first time he has been sanctioned. The Quebec College of Physicians prosecuted him in 1995 for illegal medical practice and fined $2,000.

Askerow did not respond to a request for comment from CTV News, but his lawyer, Justin Pare, said that "some facts stated in the report are not entirely true."

Deshaies said there have been millions of treatments in the province and that this is the only time the order has seen such a case. He is not concerned Askerow’s actions will have a negative effect on other acupuncturists.

"I'm quite confident that this will just go to say that the order acts quickly, promptly and that the public is adequately protected," he said.