South Auckland GP Dr Rhys Cullen will appear before the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal at the end of the month.

Dr Cullen faces charges relating to prescribing about 50,000 tablets of pseudoephidrine-based Sudomyl in 2003 and 2004 without clinical justification.

Pseudoephedrine is a precursor for the manufacture of a class A drug, methamphetamine or 'P'.

Charges also allege Dr Cullen wrote prescriptions for Sudomyl for people who weren't in his care and who weren't going to present those prescriptions.

In addition, it is alleged he obtained Sudomyl for his own supply in contravention of the New Zealand Pharmaceuticals Schedule.

The tribunal suspended Dr Cullen from practising in March this year for writing around 180 scripts for Sudomyl in February and March 2007, despite an undertaking to the High Court in February that he would not prescribe the drug.

He appealed against the suspension decision but the appeal was dismissed on August 31.

Dr Cullen's hearing will begin on September 24 and run until October 5.

- © Fairfax NZ News