The War On Doctors Continues

This story from the Las Vegas Review Journal - about an internist charged with "murder" because a patient died after abusing medications that he LEGALLY PRESCRIBED . . . the DEA basing its murder charge, "not on an independent investigation, but rather on information brought forward by a lawyer who filed a malpractice case" . . . was sent to me by a friend.

There are so many places to go with this story, and tonight I just don't have the time.  But it's a well-done piece of semi-investigative journalism . . . with several well-represented points-of-view . . . that stands on its own . . . and I encourage you to read it.

I will say that one quote (from DEA spokesman, Rusty Payne) did LEAP out of the screen at me . . . "Doctors receive a chunk of change for every prescription they write."

Huh???  Yeah sure, Mr. Payne.  On WHAT planet?

Interestingly enough, the Las Vegas Review Journal is the flagship of the Stephens Media Group - which owns the Courier Tribune.  Notice how my friend and I were able to access the entire story - and read it - and use the link for commentary (under the doctrine of fair use).

Of course we all know how I feel about the Courier Tribune . . . since I reported MULTIPLE FELONIES to the local DA's office back in 2003 (and again in 2005) . . . and I'm still sitting here waiting for a proper independent investigation.  In this case, the lawyers don't want to own up to the stink in their own back yard.  And our newspaper doesn't think that the local "non-profit" hospital trashing a home-grown Pediatrician's career for spite is newsworthy.

The locals are bad enough, but Federally speaking, DEA can criminalize the doctor-who-may-have-been-careless-but-acted-within-the-law in the big city, but in the little bergs drenched in "small town values" the IRS/FBI cannot prosecute the criminals in suits who knowinlgy and deliberatedly broke the law to punish a doctor who faced them down in order to save a life.

Makes perfect sense to me.

As an afterthought, it's also nice to see a group of doctors stand on principle and defend one of their own (even if he's not perfect) . . . as opposed to standing by deaf, dumb and blind while a colleague is professionally-raped for all the wrong reasons.

Late Evening Update:

The friend who sent me the story did not make the connection between the Las Vegas Review Journal and the Courier Tribune until he read this post.