The Medical Board of California suspended former Los Angeles-based Keck School of Medicine of USC Dean Carmen Puliafito's, MD, medical license, pending the completion of the agency's probe into his alleged drug misuse, the Los Angeles Times reports.
The order, issued by an administrative law judge, said the suspension will serve as an interim measure until the board completes its probe of Dr. Puliafito. The suspension also prohibits the former dean from prescribing medication.
The state office of the attorney general, acting on behalf of the medical board, and Dr. Puliafito agreed to the terms of the suspension, according to the report. It is unclear when officials will complete their investigation.
If the medical board decides the former dean engaged in unprofessional conduct, officials may revoke his medical license or reactivate it with certain restrictions. The agency conducting the investigation on behalf of the medical board may also submit any evidence of criminal conduct to local prosecutors, the report states.
An attorney on behalf of Dr. Puliafito told the Los Angeles Times Monday the former dean has not practiced medicine since initial reports detailing his alleged drug misuse surfaced in July. The attorney said Dr. Puliafito "has been in treatment," but declined to specify the type of treatment.
Following reports of his alleged misbehavior, USC barred Dr. Puliafito from seeing patients at university clinics in July and moved to fire him from his position as a university affiliated physician and medical school staff member.