Urologist seemed impaired during biopsy, tests positive for cocaine, Texas officials say
A Texas doctor has had his medical license suspended after he was accused of being impaired during several procedures, officials said.
Dr. Nathan Robert Starke, a former urologist at Houston Methodist Hospital, was temporarily suspended without notice Dec. 20, according to a Jan. 7 news release from the Texas Medical Board.
McClatchy News was unable to locate contact information for Starke for comment on the suspension.
An investigation revealed on Aug. 19, Starke performed a prostate biopsy while showing signs of impairment.
A few weeks later he showed up for only “the last 3 minutes of a surgery for which he was the attending physician,” officials said. Starke was suspended by Houston Methodist Hospital after the incident and required to submit drug and alcohol screenings.
Starke tested positive for cocaine on Oct. 15 and positive for Kratom Oct. 22, according to the Texas Medical Board.
Kratom, which can be addictive, acts as a stimulant at low doses, leading to increased alertness and physical energy, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. At high doses, Kratom acts like a sedative.
The board said Starke had been previously suspended from Houston Methodist Hospital due to impairment issues and had been submitting drug and alcohol screenings since 2023.
“We are not able to share any information other than to say this individual is no longer employed at Houston Methodist,” a hospital representative told McClatchy News Jan. 8.
The suspension will remain in effect “until the Board takes further action,” officials said.
