Arizona residents may have hard of a physician in another state who is being called the “Candy Man.” The doctor was arrested in 2012 for a number of charges related to prescription drug injuries and death. In one case, authorities report that the physician prescribed over 2,000 pills within six weeks to one man. The physician is facing criminal and civil action related to the accusations of medication injury.
One woman filed a lawsuit against the physician in 2013. She claims that the physician overprescribed medication, which resulted in her becoming addicted. The woman is also naming three pharmacies as defendants in her lawsuit. According to the woman, her addiction was severe enough to force her into rehabilitation. At one point, she says, her drug use caused her to fall down some stairs.
The 2012 criminal allegations against the physician included 11 cases where patients had died of overdoses while under the man’s care. According to reports, the physician was not charged with any of the patients’ deaths, but pleaded guilty to several other crimes. The physician did plead guilty to exchanging prescriptions for sex.
Reports indicate that the man is facing other criminal charges as well. He pleaded to 11 felony counts on Jan. 9 and is scheduled for sentencing on June 2. According to reports, the maximum jail time the man could serve is 200 years and he could also face up to $10 million in fines.
Medication and dosage mistakes of any kind, in any setting, can cause injury and harm to patients. A physician is responsible for safeguarding the prescriptions of medication so that patients are treated in the safest way possible. When someone experiences injury, addiction, or health risks due to unnecessary prescriptions, it is possible the doctor can be held liable for those damages.
Source: Medscape Multispecialty, “Drug-Dealing Doctor Faces Up to 200 Years in Jail; More” Wayne J. Guglielmo, MA, Feb. 20, 2014