WAFF.com: North Alabama News, Radar, Weather, Sports and Jobs-Shoals doctor's license is suspended
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SHEFFIELD, AL (WAFF) - Dr. Christopher Gay's office on Jackson Highway is closed for the 4th of July holiday. Dr. Gay is a family doctor in Sheffield, and is very well-known.
His office might be closed a little longer because Dr. Gay can no longer practice medicine.
His licence was pulled in May, after several allegations surfaced.
"There are allegations that Dr. Gay is unable to practice medicine with reasonable skill and safety for reasons of impairment of some type," said Karen Silas, the executive assistant to the Medical Licensure Commission for the State of Alabama.
A family member contacted the Alabama Physician Health Program, an organization that helps doctors who are having problems physically.
That complaint was sent to the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners. They started a full investigation into the matter.
"I wasn't surprised," said Judy Bruce, who owns a business near the Dr. Gay's office. "It didn't seem right a long time over there."
She says they heard from his patients often.
"Patients would call and want to know if he is open or when he is going to be open," she said.
In the suspension papers it said, 'Dr. Gay has gained excessive amounts of weight to the point of being morbidly obese, that he has large abscesses on his body where he has injected himself, that he has not been coming to work but rather has left signed prescription blanks for his nursing staff to use to refill prescriptions'.
He is also accused of taking home large amounts of narcotics.
"Allegations of this kind can cause them to lose their licenses," added Silas.
Investigators tried to get a urine drug test from Dr. Gay. He declined to do that. He also declined to give a hair sample for a drug test. In the allegations it says, "When a board investigator met with him to obtain the sample, Dr. Gay had completely shaved his entire body."
A hearing has been set for September 23, to see if Dr. Gay will be able to continue to practice in Alabama.
"Dr. Gay will be allowed to have legal representation," said Silas. "It will be like a court hearing."
WAFF 48 stopped by Dr. Gay's home in Sheffield. His wife answered the door, but said they had no comment on the allegations.
"He was really a nice guy," added Bruce. "I liked him."
The Colbert County Drug Task Force has been contacted by the Alabama Board of Medical Examiners to check if any drug laws have been broken.
Dr. Gay got his Alabama medical license in 2000. This is the first time he has ever been suspended.
To few the official suspension order from the Alabama State Board of Medical Examiners, you can visit their web site at http://www.albme.org/Default.aspx?Page=PhysicianSearch
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C'mon, play. You know you want to. The boss will never know.
