A Bergen County physician’s license has been temporarily suspended after the State Board of Medical Examiners found that he disregarded the requirements for authorizing medical marijuana for both adults and children.
The suspension stems from a March complaint filed by New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport alleging that Alfred D. Kulik, a Fort Lee practitioner and registered participant in New Jersey’s Medical Cannabis Program, authorizes medical marijuana for approximately 95% of his patients, 10% of whom are under the age of 18. Most of the underage patients are between 6 and 12 years old, according to the complaint.
The complaint also alleges that Kulik “never refuses” to authorize medical marijuana for any patient, child or adult, including for children when pediatricians are unwilling to do so.
Following a request by Davenport, the Board of Medical Examiners has granted an immediate temporary suspension of Kulik’s license, the state Office of the Attorney General said in a news release. Kulik’s license to practice medicine and surgery in the state will remain suspended pending the outcome of a hearing and further action by the Board of Medical Examiners.
“Indiscriminate medical marijuana authorization can lead to serious health problems, especially for kids and young adults. We have safeguards built into our medical marijuana laws for a reason, and compliance is mandatory, not optional,” Davenport stated. “Suspending this doctor’s license while the case is pending ensures that he will have no contact with patients while these very serious allegations are being heard.”
To authorize the use of medical marijuana, according to the release, a physician is required to establish a bona fide physician-patient relationship, conduct a physical examination of the patient, and consult the medical records maintained by other treating physicians reflecting the patient’s reaction and response to conventional medical therapies, among other things.
“It is abundantly clear that (Kulik) has totally disregarded essentially all the Board’s requirements that apply to the authorization of medical marijuana,” the Board of Medical Examiners stated in its suspension order.
Specifically, the Board noted, Kulik testified that he often authorizes medical marijuana after only the first patient visit and described the physical examination of his patients as “meaningless.”
He also testified, according to the release, that he does not, in all cases, consult with other physicians who are treating the patient’s underlying conditions, does not take responsibility for the patient’s condition nor work as part of a treatment team, and does not review prescribing records or blood work to determine whether the authorization of medical marijuana is safe and appropriate.