Internal Medicine, Drug Tests, Cannabis Impairment

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Graduate of Columbia University, College of Physicians & Surgeons, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at New York Medical College and an actively practicing physician, I have over 30 years’ experience in both Internal and Occupational Medicine. After practicing at New York Medical College, I opened a solo practice of Internal Medicine in 1997. After serving as a Drug Testing Crew Chief for the National Collegiate Athletic Association and an Olympic Doping Control Medical Officer, I co-founded Partners In Safety Occupational Medicine in 1993 to provide drug tests and physicals for employers. Our emphasis is on drug testing (both DOT and non-DOT) and the physical qualifications of commercial drivers, firefighters and law enforcement officers. ---Expert in interpretation of drug test results: As a Medical Review Officer (MRO), I have reviewed results of hundreds of thousands of drug tests. An MRO is a licensed medical doctor who is responsible for receiving and reviewing laboratory results generated by an employer's drug testing program and evaluating medical explanations for certain drug test results. As an MRO, I act as an independent and impartial "referee" who advocates for the accuracy and integrity of the drug testing process. Moreover, I assist employers to interpret the significance of positive drug tests derived from urine, oral fluid, hair and blood. I have testified as an expert witness at numerous administrative hearings about drug and alcohol tests. ---Expert in medical qualification of truck drivers: As medical director of Partners In Safety (PIS), I have supervised or performed tens of thousands of commercial motor vehicle driver exams in the Dept of Transportation (DOT) program. Medical exams are performed to identify impaired drivers and prevent motor vehicle accidents (truck and bus crashes). Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations define requirements for drivers, and guidelines have been developed that certified medical examiners should consider. ---Expert in effects of cannabis: I am certified in Cannabis Science and Medicine, and have researched and lectured on its impairing effects on the roads and in the workplace. I have published peer-reviewed papers on the effects of marijuana. My work has appeared in leading journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, Annals of Internal Medicine, and JAMA-Internal Medicine. Knowledgeable in side effects of medical marijuana: psychosis, hyperemesis, addiction, depression, anxiety, suicide, cognitive impairment, motor vehicle accidents, etc. ---Expert in general Internal Medicine: I have practiced Internal Medicine throughout my career, and continue to practice office-based primary care. Knowledgeable in standards of care, diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions: cardiology, pulmonary, hypertension, gastroenterology, cancer screening. I have testified as an expert witness at trial.