Pubdate: Thu, 6 Aug 2009 Source: Chicago Tribune (IL) Copyright: 2009 Chicago Tribune Company Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/IuiAC7IZ Website: http://www.chicagotribune.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/82 Author: Lisa Black and Georgia Garvey Note: Tribune reporter Jeff Long contributed to this report. Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment) METHADONE-RELATED DEATH PROBED IN LAKE COUNTY Lake County Coroner Prescribed Drug As Medical Director of Waukegan Clinic The Lake County state's attorney's office is investigating a methadone-related death after learning that the county's coroner, Dr. Richard Keller, prescribed the drug to the victim at a Waukegan clinic, where Keller is medical director. The Drug Enforcement Administration is participating in the county investigation, which includes a review of whether Keller and clinic staff followed proper procedures in administering methadone, commonly used to treat heroin addiction, DEA Special Agent Will Taylor said. And a state agency has faulted the clinic for not reporting the death, as required. Steve Vaughn, 30, of Lindenhurst died Dec. 3, hours after he was administered 70 milligrams of methadone at the Green Dragonfly clinic during his second day of treatment, Keller said. "We are looking at all of the facts and circumstances regarding Steve Vaughn's situation ... and whether or not the rules and regulations that deal with methadone clinics were followed," State's Atty. Michael Waller said Wednesday. Waller questioned why Keller as coroner investigated his own patient's death, a potential conflict of interest because the coroner typically determines if any foul play was involved with an unnatural death. "The whole situation is just questionable," Waller said. "The coroner is supposed to determine the cause of death, and in this case the coroner issued methadone to a person who never had it before." Keller, newly elected to his second term as coroner, began working for the Waukegan clinic shortly after it opened in October 2008 to treat patients for opiate addictions. On Dec. 3, Vaughn's mother returned home from work to find her son dead. Keller investigated the death and concluded it was caused by mixing methadone and another drug, Xanax. Vaughn had not been prescribed Xanax and was using someone else's medication, said Keller, a licensed physician. He concluded that Vaughn did not overdose on either drug, but likely went into respiratory arrest after mixing the two, which is known to be a potentially lethal combination. "He had mixed methadone and Xanax, which he had been warned against taking [together]," Keller said. Keller said he does not believe there was a conflict of interest in having his office investigate the death. "We handled it like any other case," Keller said. "It's like any other doctor who signs a death certificate for his patient, which happens all the time." Vaughn's mother, Jill, said she was not aware that Keller was the same doctor who prescribed her son's methadone. She said he was addicted to Xanax, not heroin. Jill Vaughn said Wednesday that she believes her son lied to clinic staff so he could quickly enroll in their methadone treatment program, having been turned down by other health clinics. He was accompanied by his brother, who did not hear any staff members warn about the dangers of mixing the two drugs, she said. "He didn't tell them anything about Xanax; he just wanted to get on methadone to get off Xanax," she said. "When you are dealing with drug addicts, you are dealing with liars and thieves," she said. "[Green Dragonfly] didn't even do a minimal urine test to see if he had anything in his system." Waller also questioned whether Keller tested Vaughn's blood first to determine what drugs were in his system. Other clinics routinely do blood tests before giving methadone, he said. Keller said Vaughn underwent a routine physical exam before being treated with 40 milligrams of methadone his first day and 70 milligrams the next. Asked whether he tested Vaughn's blood to determine what drugs were in his system, Keller said, "I don't know for sure, offhand."State officials conducted a routine inspection of the clinic two weeks ago and noted that the Green Dragonfly did not report Vaughn's death, as required of all methadone-related deaths, said Richard Weisskopf, state opiate treatment authority for the Department of Human Services' Division of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse. Keller said he reported the man's death to state and federal agencies, though possibly not in a timely manner. First elected to the $100,000 coroner's post in 2004, Keller recently announced he did not intend to seek re-election when his term ends in 2012. He blamed politics, saying it interfered with other educational programs he was involved in, such as suicide prevention and adolescent substance abuse. Keller said he thought the state's attorney's inquiry was politically motivated. "Certainly when you look at the facts in the case, there certainly was no crime that occurred," he said. "Unfortunately, a young man died. Unfortunately, these things happen." Keller has never quite fit the image of an elected official in Lake County, sporting an ear stud and a dragon tattoo on his left forearm. He writes a blog, "Live from the Coroner's Office."Keller said he agreed to serve as the clinic's medical director because he was concerned that drug overdose was the No. 1 cause of "unnatural" deaths in Lake County. Keller has many supporters who praise his work in the community. "A lot of people happen to think he's doing a damn good job, and I hate to see him abandon that post," said Pete Couvall, his former campaign manager. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake