Amir Khadir, a prominent physician and former member of Quebec's National Assembly, has been barred from practising medicine for half a year. The suspension comes after he admitted to repeatedly violating a formal agreement with the province's medical regulator concerning his treatment of Lyme disease patients.
Violation of a Formal Agreement
In a detailed 41-page ruling, the Collège des médecins du Québec found Khadir guilty of 12 counts of professional misconduct. The charges stem from his breach of a 2020 agreement in which he pledged not to prescribe antibiotic therapy lasting longer than 28 days for patients with Lyme disease.
Khadir, a specialist in microbiology and infectious diseases who works at Pierre-Le Gardeur Hospital in Terrebonne, pleaded guilty to the violations in October 2025. The original agreement was to remain in effect until the medical community reached a minimal consensus that such long-term antibiotic treatment was a proven therapy for the tick-borne illness.
Details of the Professional Misconduct
An investigation into Khadir's patient files revealed at least a dozen instances where he disregarded the binding agreement. In some cases, patients were prescribed antibiotics for several consecutive months. The Collège's analysis noted that in certain files, patients had tested negative for Lyme disease, yet Khadir still prescribed antibiotics and authorized refills.
The regulator's ruling stated that while it did not question Khadir's "good will or desire to help vulnerable patients," violating the agreement constituted grounds for disciplinary action. The Collège maintains that there is still no scientific consensus on the existence of a long-term condition requiring extended antibiotic treatment after initial Lyme disease therapy.
Consequences and Concurrent Sanction
As a result of the guilty plea, the disciplinary committee ordered a six-month suspension from practice for each of the 12 violations. However, the sanctions are to be served concurrently, meaning Khadir's total suspension period is six months.
Khadir served as a Québec solidaire MNA in the National Assembly from 2008 to 2018, maintaining his medical career alongside his political duties. Lyme disease, which is transmitted by ticks, is typically treatable with prompt antibiotic administration. However, some patients report persistent symptoms, a controversial condition sometimes referred to as chronic Lyme disease, which lacks broad recognition in standard medical guidelines.
