Ontario doctor suspended after tribunal finds sexual abuse and unprofessional conduct

An Ontario family physician has been suspended after a disciplinary tribunal found she committed sexual abuse of one patient and engaged in "disgraceful, dishonorable and unprofessional" conduct with others, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO) said.

The Ontario Physicians and Surgeons Discipline Tribunal (OPSDT) issued an interim suspension effective Aug. 23, 2025, pending a penalty hearing scheduled for Nov. 24, 2025. In its written decision, the tribunal said Dr. Suman Khulbe admitted to sexual acts with one patient and that her practice displayed "few professional boundaries," with patients at times treated as "her friends, her social life, her athletic life and her business partners."

Dr. Khulbe, who began practising family medicine in 2001, operated a clinic out of a home in Kanata, Ontario, where she offered services including vitamin infusions, lasers, Botox, fillers and other cosmetic and therapeutic treatments, court records show. The tribunal decision recounts multiple relationships with patients that crossed professional boundaries.

The tribunal identified one patient, described as Patient A, whom Dr. Khulbe met through a local CrossFit gym in 2015. Patient A began receiving IV vitamin therapy in December 2016 and later treatment for musculoskeletal issues. According to the tribunal's findings, Dr. Khulbe began administering procaine injections in 2018, initially with vitamin therapy and later alone. Patient A told the tribunal he experienced agitation, nervousness and euphoria after receiving the injections and said their interactions progressed from clothed physical therapy to undressed examinations and sexual activity, including kissing, oral sex and erotic prostate massage. Dr. Khulbe admitted to some of those sexual acts but disputed allegations that she had drugged or groomed the patient.

The decision also details interactions with other patients. Patient B, who began seeing Dr. Khulbe in 2015, said he received multiple procaine injections — some administered at parties at the clinic — and that Dr. Khulbe sent messages referring to him with intimate and protective terms and telling him she loved him. Patient B continued to receive medical services, including testosterone therapy, platelet-rich plasma injections and vitamin therapy, and also entered into a business relationship with Dr. Khulbe involving real estate and renovations, the tribunal wrote.

A third patient, identified as Patient C, began seeing Dr. Khulbe in 2014 and said she discussed his personal relationships and gave nonclinical advice. A fourth man, Patient D, described himself as a friend rather than a patient; the tribunal said Dr. Khulbe should have established clear boundaries and found her failure to do so amounted to disgraceful, dishonorable or unprofessional conduct.

The tribunal's account includes allegations that some sexual encounters occurred when patients were under the influence of procaine. Patient A testified he was not in a "normal, rational state of mind" during larger doses of the drug. Procaine, also known as Novocaine, is an anesthetic used to numb areas for pain relief; the tribunal said Dr. Khulbe administered it in various contexts at her clinic.

Dr. Khulbe has publicly disputed portions of the allegations. In social media posts earlier this year she said a former employee attempted to extort her in July 2020 and that complaints filed thereafter contained false claims, including accusations that she was an alcoholic, a drug addict and that she abused patients with procaine. She also told the National Post she plans to appeal the tribunal decision and said she expects her licence will be revoked for five years and that she may face financial penalties.

The CPSO, which referred the matter to the OPSDT, said it takes allegations of professional misconduct seriously and noted the tribunal is an independent adjudicative body that handles allegations of misconduct or incompetence. The college pointed reporters to the OPSDT website for publicly available discipline outcomes and said media inquiries should be directed to the Health Professions Discipline Tribunals' media team.

Mental health and addiction specialists who were not involved in the case told media outlets that power imbalances between physicians and patients can create conditions for sexual boundary violations. They said patients who are medically or emotionally vulnerable, or who are sedated or under the influence of drugs, are particularly at risk of being unable to give informed consent.

The interim suspension will remain in place until the penalty hearing. The OPSDT decision and its findings are part of the public record; further procedural outcomes, including the penalty determination and any financial awards, are expected after the November hearing.