Prominent London doctor barred from fertility medicine

CTV London: London doctor's licence suspended Dr. James Martin is no long allowed to practice fertility medicine after a four-year investigation by the CPSO. Cristina Howorun reports.

After a four-year investigation, Dr. James Martin is no longer allowed to practice fertility medicine.

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) has also suspended Martin's licence for two months, starting next week.

This is just the latest restriction placed on Southern Ontario Fertility Technologies or S.O.F.T.

Martin's wife, Dr. Cathy Frank is no longer allowed to perform gynecological or obstetrical surgery following complaints. She's currently being sued by more than 50 patients.

Despite the restrictions, allegations of malpractice and negligence - and the fact that Martin and Frank are the only physicians there - staff at the clinic say S.O.F.T. is staying open after July 1, 2014.

A former patient of Martin says "I don't think he ever could recognize the struggles that people went through at the clinic."

She says her life was forever changed at Martin's hands - first with children, and then, with pain.

"I have many health complications because of the treatment I did receive, so it's impacted my family emotionally, financially. Never in a million years would I dream that this is where I would be."

Her situation is much like the two unnamed patients that Martin acknowledges he mistreated with repeated artificial insemination treatments and powerful drugs that CPSO investigators determined were "placing the patient at extreme risk of multiple medical complications...including stroke."

In the CPSO ruling Martin admits that he failed to maintain the standard of practice in the profession and as a result the college withdrew charges of disgraceful, dishonourable conduct and incompetence.

Now, Martin is banned indefinitely from practicing fertility treatments and as of 2015, will no longer even be able to interpret fertility ultrasound images.

The college also ruled that Martin would be subject to having his OHIP billings monitored, complete an ethics program and submit to unannounced inspections of his practice.

Statement from S.O.F.T.

“S.O.F.T. will continue to operate as a full-service fertility clinic on and after July 1, 2014.

"The clinic will be covered by qualified specialists in infertility together with the clinic’s experienced and dedicated healthcare team.

"As of September 1, 2014 Dr. Martin will conduct a consulting office-based practice in which he will continue all of his non-fertility work in gynaecology and endocrinology including his special interest in the treatment of menopausal women with bio identical hormones and the treatment of transgender individuals.”