Andrew M. Abarbanel accused by state board for failure to get patient's consent for numerous drugs

June 10, 2011

On March 24, 2011, the Medical Board of California issued a statement of Accusation on psychiatrist Andrew M. Abarbanel for gross negligence, repeated negligent acts, failure to document.

According to the Board’s document, Abarbanel prescribed numerous difference antidepressants and other psychiatric drugs to a 16-year-old patient, beginning in July 2000 through 2009 but failed obtain informed consent for most of the drugs. 

For the last six years of his “treatment” of the patient, his records contain only 14 entries that appear to reflect telephone contact with the patient. 

There is no data about the patient’s condition.  He renewed her prescription for the antidepressant Elavil through August 2009.

Source: Accusation in the Matter of the Accusation Against Andrew Abarbanel, M.D., Physician and Surgeon Certificate No. G-47490, Case No. 03-2009-201966, Before the Medical Board of California Department of Consumer Affairs.