Patients of alleged doctor impersonator urged to call police

The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba is warning patients to contact their lawyer and police if they were treated by Leslie Colmer, who allegedly pretended to be a doctor.

The 66-year-old former chiropractor faces 14 fraud charges and one count of assault. He was arrested on Tuesday and remains in custody.

RCMP say Colmer impersonated a medical doctor and treated patients in the Steinbach, Winnipeg and Selkirk areas.

Police said there may be more potential victims in those communities as well as in the Brandon and Beausejour areas.

College registrar Dr. Bill Pope says Colmer was never licensed to practise medicine in Manitoba.

"I am obviously concerned firstly if patients are in some way misled," Pope told CBC News on Thursday.

"In fact, he was doing examinations of people, which could be assault, and I believe that's one of the charges. So that's a grave concern."

The Manitoba Chiropractors Association confirmed thatColmerwas registered as a chiropractor in the province from 1975 until February 2002. However, officials could not say why he is no longer registered.

Could not prescribe medications

RCMP say Colmer did mostly house calls, with patients learning of his services through word of mouth.

Police said they started investigating him after someone who saw Colmer raised concerns about his behaviour as a doctor and the medications he was prescribing.

Pope said he is disturbed to hear that Colmer allegedly examined patients and wrote prescriptions for them all without a medical licence.

"It would not be possible for pharmacists to actually dispense a prescription for real medication, if you know what I mean, that he had written because the system does not permit that," Pope said, adding that Colmer would not have been allowed to order lab testseither.

Anyone with information about Colmer is asked to call the Steinbach RCMP tip line at (204)320-8229 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 (toll free).

Pope said Manitobans can check if a doctor is actively licensed by searching the physician directory on the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba's website.

Those who do not have a profile in the physician directory is not licensed to actively practise medicine in the province, he said.