A father expressed concern when his baby failed to awaken following a circumcision procedure due to a medical error. The incident occurred when Doctor Mohammad Sharier mistakenly administered oxycodone instead of paracetamol during the March 2023 surgery at his Gentle Procedures Clinic in Revesby, leading to his suspension by Australia’s New South Wales Civil and Administrative Tribunal.
After the surgery, the father unknowingly gave his son a dose of the substance, thinking it was Panadol. However, an hour later, Dr. Sharier discovered the mistake, realizing that the substance was actually oxycodone. Concerned, Dr. Sharier informed the father that the child might have received the wrong medication, leading to the baby being unresponsive. Subsequently, the parents rushed the child to Liverpool Hospital for immediate medical attention.
In efforts to counteract the effects of the opioids, two doses of Naloxone were administered. During a phone call, Dr. Sharier advised the father to watch for any symptoms of drowsiness in the child and to return to the clinic if necessary. However, the father reported that the doctor seemed calm during the conversation, which lasted only two minutes.
The situation escalated when the parents tried to contact Dr. Sharier multiple times but received no response. Eventually, they spoke to him, confirming that the baby had been given oxycodone. The father claimed that Dr. Sharier did not instruct them to take the child to the hospital.
The tribunal concluded that Dr. Sharier’s actions on the day of the procedure were grossly inadequate in response to the crisis he had caused. The doctor’s failure to recall the presence of other oxycodone bottles on the premises, lack of proper drug storage, absence of a drug register, and proximity of the opened oxycodone bottle to Panadol Children all contributed to his unsatisfactory professional conduct.
As a result, Dr. Sharier’s registration was revoked for six months, with additional conditions imposed for his future practice, including regular audits and educational requirements. He was also fined for improperly supplying and storing the addictive drug, facing financial penalties payable to the New South Wales Health Department.