Doctor Adriana Betancourt Carballo is suspended until July 2027

The Governing Board of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica has suspended the professional practice of Dr. Adriana Betancourt Carballo, code MED13314, effective from October 9, 2026, until July 30, 2027, both dates inclusive. The measure derives from a criminal sentence and was disclosed via a notice published in La Gaceta No. 199 on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, with the official reference IN202601134019.

The notice is based on Article 22 of the Organic Law of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica, amended by Law No. 9809 of February 4, 2020, which mandates the publication of any suspension of professional practice in the Official Gazette once the sanction becomes final. The text also recalls that the Medical Ethics Tribunal is the body that determines, in each case, which correction must be imposed and that the record remains in the member’s file.

The criminal origin of the sanction

The suspension is based on the ruling in criminal case File 20-002611-0175PE and Sentence No. 136-2025 of the Criminal Trial Court of the Second Judicial Circuit of San José, single-person section 2, issued at 3:03 p.m. on February 27, 2025.

The notice itself distinguishes two moments in the application of the measure:

• The sanction legally governs from the finality of the sentence, that is, from July 30, 2026, to July 30, 2027.
• The effective application in the College’s systems runs from October 9, 2026, to July 30, 2027, following the notification received by the corporation on October 9, 2026.

The agreement of the Governing Board

In the ordinary session of the Governing Board number 2026-10-14, held on October 14, 2026, it was agreed to disclose the suspension notice via publication in La Gaceta. Furthermore, the document orders that the professional be considered suspended and that the standard official letters be issued to the corresponding authorities to ensure compliance with the provisions.

The notice is signed by Dr. Elliott Garita Jiménez, president of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica, and is published only once.

Another suspension in the same bulletin

The same edition of La Gaceta No. 199 includes a second suspension of professional practice, in this case from the College of Nutrition Professionals:

• Sanctioned: Dr. Manuel Stif Masís Mathieu, professional code 2113-16.
• Sanction: suspension of professional practice for six months.
• Origin: resolution of the Honor Tribunal at 10:05 p.m. on August 8, 2026, in case file CPN-DEN-002-2024.
• Publication agreement: Board of Directors, ordinary session No. 422 of October 13, 2026.
• Validity: pursuant to article 135 of the Code of Professional Ethics, the suspension takes effect from the day following the publication of the notice; once the term has expired, the professional is authorized to resume their duties.
• Scope: during this period, the suspension covers any position for which the profession of Nutrition is required for its exercise, according to article 136 of the same Code.
• Signature: Dr. Alejandra Irola Borja, secretary of the Board of Directors.

The official publication turns the sanction into verifiable data for patients, clinics, insurers, and employers who hire medical services: code MED13314 allows confirmation that the professional cannot practice during the indicated period. With the dissemination in the Official Gazette, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Costa Rica fulfills the legal mandate of transparency regarding final suspensions and enables health and judicial authorities to enforce the restriction until July 30, 2027.

Source: La Gaceta, No. 199 of October 21, 2026, Notices, p. 65 (official reference: IN202601134019).