Pubdate: Mon, 24 Oct 2005
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp.
Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05.n1663.a01.html
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/operation+sahara+wind

DRUGS AND PHYSICIANS

Acting District Attorney Gary Miles has issued his long awaited
statement detailing why he chose to investigate Dr. Latimer of Madrid.

Over the past month, the decision by Mr. Miles to force the doctor to
surrender his license or face prosecution has upset many of the
doctor's patients and friends and it has been a source of concern
among many in the medical profession.

The investigation into Dr. Latimer began when a pharmacist alerted
state police that Dr. Latimer had written a prescription for methadone
even though the Madrid physician does not have legal authorization to
treat drug addicts with methadone.

A DEA investigation of Dr. Latimer's prescriptions showed that he had
prescribed to several patients potentially fatal quantities of narcotics.

Pharmacy reports showed Dr. Latimer prescribed daily doses of
narcotics that contained acetaminophen) the active ingredient in
Tylenol products) in excess of 4,000 mg (mg) Per day. The manufacture
of Tylenol reports that exposure to large doses of acetaminophen (in
excess of 4,000 mg a day) could lead to significant liver dysfunction,
especially when combined with alcohol use.

Three patients were from the same family (a husband, wife, and son).
The husband had obtained 9,179 dosage units of narcotics that
contained an average of 4,824 mg of acetaminophen per day. The wife
received a total of 4,695 dosage units of narcotics which contained an
average of 4,105 mg of acetaminophen per day. The son received 7,088
dosage units of the same kinds of narcotics which also contained 4,841
mg of acetaminophen per day. The family was prescribed 20,962 dosage
units of narcotics in this two-year period.

In addition to the family, Dr. Latimer also treated two sisters. Dr.
Latimer issued the first sister prescriptions for 1,000 tablets of
hydrocodone that she paid for in cash, in spite of the fact that this
patient was Medicaid patient of another physician. The other sister
was issued prescriptions for 6,582 dosage units of hydrocodone that
contained an average of 4,495 mg (a potentially toxic level) of
acetaminophen per day. Dr. Latimer also gave this patient multiple
prescription on the same day that were filled at different pharmacies
across the county. The DEA also found pharmacy documentation that Dr.
Latimer has 18 patients who received prolonged exposure to narcotics
containing large doses of acetaminophen, which could potentially lead
to significant liver dysfunction, especially when combined with
alcohol use.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin