Order on Consent – Dr. Ed Pineau

August 5, 2022

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of PEI received a duty to report letter concerning Dr. Pineau, this information was referred by Council for further investigation to the Investigation Committee (“the Committee”).

The evidence described in the Investigation Report reveals that Dr. Ed Pineau deliberately wrote prescriptions for Lorazepam since 2016, to facilitate the filling of those prescriptions and the transference of the medication to another person who was not able to obtain the prescriptions himself.

The Committee is of the view that a penalty in the circumstances of this case is warranted because physicians are expected to prescribe medication for those patients who need it, and not to use their power and privileges as physicians to work around the rules that are in place. While the Committee believes that Dr. Pineau was attempting to provide assistance to someone he felt needed it, the way he chose to do this was indirect, misleading and with the knowledge that the pharmacy involved had refused to provide this drug to the other person.

Dr. Pineau has assured the Committee that he has retired, and so the risk that he will engage in the same type of misconduct in future is low.

The Committee has decided to order Dr. Pineau to pay a fine, and the Committee has considered the factors outlined in section 58(2.1) of the RHPA in doing so. The Committee also has decided to order Dr. Pineau to cover part of the cost of this discipline process to help defray the financial impact on the College. The Committee made this decision on the basis that the conduct described above constitutes professional misconduct within the meaning of section 57 of the Regulated Health Professions Act. After considering this evidence of professional misconduct within the meaning of section 57 of the Regulated Health Professions Act, the Committee sought Dr. Pineau’s consent to the orders set out below, and he consented.

The Committee Ordered:

1. a written reprimand for failing to honour the College’s requirements of maintaining
   honesty and integrity at the highest level;
2. Dr. Pineau will pay a fine in the amount of one thousand dollars ($1000) to the College within thirty days of the date of this decision;
3. in the event that Dr. Pineau decides to apply to become registered as a member
   of the College at any point in future, he must include in his application
   acknowledgement that his registration will be subject to the following:
   1. 1. Dr. Pineau will be restricted from prescribing controlled substances for a period
         of 1 year from the date of registration, with a subsequent 1 year of supervision
         of practice, to be arranged in consultation with the College; and
      2. Dr. Pineau will provide proof satisfactory to the College of his having completed
         15 hours of updated continuing medical education in areas of: physicianpatient boundaries, safe prescription practices and professional ethics, after
         having obtained prior approval of the courses from the College.
4. Dr. Pineau will pay fifty percent of the College’s costs in this matter, to a maximum
   of $4000, within thirty days of the date of this decision.