Doctor Dope?

[Nagognog2]

Ark. probes doctor after 10 patients die
June 24, 2006

RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. --A state agency is investigating a physician after 10 of his patients died from lethal mixtures of drugs or overdoses of prescription medicines.

The Arkansas State Medical Board has accused Dr. Randeep Mann of prescribing excessive amounts of controlled substances to patients he knew or should have known had histories of drug abuse. The Russellville physician's license was temporarily suspended in April until a July 6 hearing.

"Vulnerable patients were prescribed excessive amounts of controlled substances or addictive and harmful drugs," wrote a consultant hired by the state board, Dr. Carlos Roman. "Medical records are mostly illegible."

The board could revoke Mann's license if it decides his care constituted "grossly negligent or ignorant malpractice."

Mann's attorney, Drake Mann, who is unrelated, said the issue wasn't the doctor's prescriptions, but the patients' abuse of the drugs.

"The rules of the board prohibit grossly negligent or ignorant malpractice," Drake Mann said. "And the board is attempting to hold a physician responsible for a patient's noncompliance."

Medical board attorney Bill Trice said Randeep Mann was aware of his patients' histories of drug addiction and abuse.