A doctor has admitted to five allegations of poor professional performance in prescribing tranquillisers to patients.
Dr Mohammad Khan works as a GP in Wicklow Street in Dublin.
A Medical Council inquiry was told today that the allegations relate to four patients prescribed benzodiazepines.
In December 2010, a pharmacist raised concerns with the Medical Council over the scale of prescriptions for benzodiazepines.
An application by Dr Khan to have the inquiry heard in private was rejected by the Fitness to Practise Committee.
But it did rule that the names of patients who give evidence were not to be identified.
The inquiry’s legal representative, J P McDowell, said benzodiazepines can be addictive and should only be given for short term use.
It is alleged that Dr Kahn failed to check if the patients were being treated by another GP and that he failed to refer them to a drug treatment centre.
It is also alleged that Dr Kahn failed to prescribe appropriate medicines, placed an undue reliance on benzodiazepines and failed to follow best practice guidelines.
An expert report for the inquiry says excessive quantities of drugs were prescribed.
In a submission to the Medical Council, Dr Khan said he always explained to patients that they can become reliant on benzodiazepines and warned them against inappropriate use.
He also said he had experience of patients with drug dependency, having worked in 2000 in the Drug Treatment Centre Board.
Independent expert, Prof Colin Bradley of UCC told the inquiry some of the prescriptions in the case were five times the expected daily dose.
He added that generally, GPs need to be more aware of proper use of benzodiazepines.
