A Florida doctor who routinely prescribed Oxycodone and other potent painkillers may soon be stripped of his medical license after the...
A Florida doctor who routinely prescribed Oxycodone and other potent painkillers may soon be stripped of his medical license after the Justice Department implicated him in the deaths of more than a dozen patients.
According to a civil lawsuit filed last month, Dr. Tobias Bacaner prescribed 'dangerous opioids' at the cash-only Paragon Clinic, which is operated by the side of a highway in New Port Richey.
Bacaner's patients would then routinely fill the prescriptions at a nearby pharmacy, which he co-owned.
The Justice Department alleges that 'between 2013 and 2019, at least 16 individuals to whom Dr. Bacaner provided dangerous opioid prescriptions died soon thereafter from some form of drug toxicity'.
The lawsuit states that Bacaner 'accepted no form of insurance' at the pain clinic and billed his patients $230 for their first visit.
Follow-up appointments were charged at an approximate rate of $195, The Tampa Bay Times reports.
Dr. Tobias Bacaner was well-known for prescribing 'dangerous opioids' at the cash-only Paragon Clinic, which is operated by the side of a highway in New Port Richey
'Bacaner prescribed opioids to nearly every individual who received a controlled substance, predominantly in the highest strength formulations available,' the suit contends.
According to ProPublica, Bacaner prescribed Oxycodone more than any other controlled substance. He frequently wrote scripts for the drug at 30 milligrams - its highest possible strength.
According to the suit, 'Bacaner ignored obvious signs of drug abuse, diversion, or nonmedical use in the individuals to whom he prescribed powerful opioids'.
In one instance, he is said to have 'ignored six out of seven aberrant urine drug screens given by one of patient over a period of two and one-half years'.
Bacaner noted that the patient - identified in the suit as T.D. - had 'old track marks on his arms', but did not refer him to an addiction specialist.
T.D. passed away from 'fentanyl toxicity' in January 2019.
The Justice Department state that 'Bacaner failed to recognize and address T.D.'s significant and obvious warning signs of substance abuse while continuing to prescribe high dose opioids.'
Bacaner's patients would then routinely fill the prescriptions at a nearby pharmacy, which he co-owned
Between March 2018 and September 2020, Cobalt Pharmacy - co-owned by Bacaner - filled close to 1,000 controlled substance prescriptions written by the doctor.
'Cobalt Pharmacy repeatedly dispensed prescriptions for the highest doses of a particular medication—e.g., oxycodone 30 milligrams—in amounts that far exceeded the daily morphine milligram equivalent dose recommended by theCDC,' the US Department of Justice states.
The lawsuit is asking for heavy financial penalties to be imposed upon Bacaner, as well as Theodore and Timothy Ferguson - brothers who own the pain clinic and co-own Cobalt Pharmacy.
Bacaner has not made public comment.
According to ProPublica , Bacaner prescribed Oxycodone more than any other controlled substance. He frequently wrote scripts for the drug at 30 milligrams - its highest possible strength
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