Doctors Charged For Trading Opioids For Personal Favors

Doctors Charged For Trading Opioids For Personal Favors

Introduction

About 60 doctors, pharmacists, medical professionals, and others linked to the alleged opioid pushing were charged by federal prosecutors, according to a statement by the Justice Department last week.

The cases are a result of more than 350,000 prescriptions for controlled substances and more than 32 million opioid pills. Some of the doctors are accused of trading the prescription opioids for sex and prescribing the painkiller to their social media friends without medical screening. The statement by the Justice Department revealed charges against 31 doctors, 7 pharmacists, 8 nurse practitioners, and 7 other licensed medical professionals for being involved in the biggest health care fraud in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Alabama, Tennessee, Pennsylvania, and Louisiana. Many doctors signed blank prescriptions that their employees used to fraudulently prescribe pills to patients, some of whom were already addicts. Another doctor allegedly prescribed dangerous combinations of opioids and benzodiazepines, in exchange for sexual favors. The department also indicated about charges put upon a doctor who prescribed pills for his own use, and a dentist who allegedly prescribed opioids for no valid reasons and removed teeth unnecessarily.

The opioid epidemic has disastrously affected the U.S., and as per reports, Appalachia has seen the worst consequences than any other region. Attorney General William Barr said the DOJ was taking measures to help communities put an end to the opioid crisis.