Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents recently arrested a New York City doctor based on allegations the physician illegally prescribed over 1 million oxycodone pills. According to the indictment, the accused physician wrote thousands of medically unnecessary prescriptions. The prosecution states the accused would accept cash from patients in exchange for the prescriptions, knowing the pills were medically unnecessary and used by addicted patients or sold on the streets. The prosecution also claims the physician had minimal or no examination of the patient prior to writing the prescriptions.
What are the potential ramifications for this type of allegation?
Based on these allegations, the prosecution has charged the physician with one count of conspiracy to distribute oxycodone. If they are able to gather enough evidence to support these claims and get a conviction, the physician could face up to 20 years imprisonment.
In addition to criminal charges, the accused will likely also face an investigation by the local medical board. This could lead to additional penalties, including the suspension or revocation of his license to practice medicine in the state of New York.
What comes next?
Once faced with the allegations, a physician or other medical professional is wise to seek legal counsel. This provides an opportunity to review the allegations and begin building a defense. It is helpful to discuss these options with someone familiar with how medical boards work and the licensing process. This can better ensure you take all potential consequences and defense strategies into consideration when navigating the issue.
