Sask. physician faces discipline for allegedly cancelling patient's prescription over homeless camp support

A Saskatchewan doctor has been charged with unprofessional conduct after allegedly cancelling a patient’s prescription because of a pharmacy’s support of a homeless camp.

Dr. Ian Cowan sent a fax to the pharmacy on February 26, 2022, according to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Saskatchewan documents.

“The message indicated the cancellation was related to issues you and the patient had with the pharmacy’s providing of services to a nearby homeless encampment,” the documents said.

The college said the message also indicated Cowan said he would encourage other patients not to get prescriptions from that pharmacy.

“The fax message used a tone and included language that was unprofessional and/or discriminatory, including referring to ‘drug-addicted campers’ and that you would not support a pharmacy that is ‘giving these campers needles and pipes to use crack cocaine and meth,’” the documents said.

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Cowan has also been charged with unprofessional conduct in how he spoke to the patient, college documents said.

“In speaking to the patient you said or used language to the effect that the staff of the pharmacy were ‘crooked,’” the college said.

The college also alleged Cowan encouraged the patient to move their prescription to another pharmacy.

The charges were laid on March 24, 2023, a hearing date has not been set.

This is the third time Cowan has been charged by the college, according to their website.

In 2016, Cowan pleaded guilty to improperly storing medical records and inappropriately providing marijuana to two people, according to the college website.

Cowan also pleaded guilty to prescribing medications to someone that he had a sexual relationship in 2001, the website said.