Ozempic can help people lose weight – but must be managed by a doctor

A DOCTOR has been suspended for nine months for “hiding the fact she was a doctor” from a boyfriend who she had prescribed slimming drugs to.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service ruled Dr Josevania Martins, who lived and worked in Hampstead, had shown “dishonesty” to a patient in a serious breach of conduct required by all medical professionals.

The tribunal heard that the doctor had prescribed Ozempic and Wegovy to a man, named as Mr B, who she was “engaged in a close personal relationship with”.

But she had pretended the prescription had been signed off by a colleague at a clinic, which did not exist, as a “protective measure taken for her privacy”.

She told investigators that she wanted to keep her working life and social life in separate spheres, and the public would sympathise with her reasons for doing so.

The tribunal investigated a string of accusations that were made by “Mr B” a fortnight after the couple broke-up.

It concluded: “The tribunal took the view that Dr Martins’ dishonesty would inevitably have an adverse impact upon public confidence in her and the medical profession as a whole. Her actions fell far below the standards that are acceptable for a medical practitioner.”

Doctors are expected to meet a very high standard of honesty with patients and to maintain public trust in the profession.

The tribunal took the view that Dr Martins made “a deliberate decision to disregard her obligations to be open about who had written the prescription, in order to hide that she was a doctor from Mr B and none the less provide him with medical treatment”, adding: “Once Dr Martins provided Mr B with a prescription this amounted to medical treatment and he became her patient and therefore her obligations were engaged.”

It added: “It was agreed evidence that Dr Martins was hiding the fact she was a doctor from Mr B. It was also agreed evidence that Dr Martins was hiding her home address from Mr B. She had told him she lived in East London and shared a flat with other women.”

Mr B – who sent complaints to the General Medical Council two weeks after the couple broke up – recalled in his witness statement how something felt amiss.

It said: “The relationship progressed well in the months between December 2023 and March 2024. Dr Martins would always come to my house on weekends and we would spend a lot of time with each other. She would always come to my house; she would never let me come to her house. Dr Martins told me that she shared a house with two other women so I couldn’t visit her in her house.”

He had also told the GMC that his former partner had revealed confidential information about one of her patients who was “was married to high-profile professional footballer”.

Mr B told the tribunal he did not regret the treatment.

The tribunal recorded that Dr Josevania Martins had recognised how “her emotional involvement with Mr B could compromise her objectivity”.

It also recorded how she had recognised that even “minor lapses” can affect public confidence and that she is committed to maintaining transparent, honest communication in all future practice.