John Petro was a doctor who gained notoriety for prescribing controlled drugs in 1960s Britain. [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]
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Petro was one of the first doctors to administer penicillin with Alexander Fleming. [1] In 1966, he was injured in a traffic collision and faced bankruptcy, resorting to writing prescriptions to drug addicts for controlled drugs such as heroin and cocaine. [1] Petro did not have an office and worked out of coffee bars and cafes. [1] His practice was widely covered by British tabloids for months. [1] In January 1968, Petro was invited on David Frost's television program to discuss his practice. [1] He was immediately arrested after the broadcast. [1]
In 1968, his name was struck off of the Medical Register. [2] [3] Petro continued working with drug addicts after no longer being able to prescribe drugs. [4]
Petro was discussed in the House of Commons by Alexander Lyon, Edward Short, and Cranley Onslow during a debate about trial by television. [6]