Dr. Juan Kurdi, M.D., a cardiologist in Lubbock, Texas, has agreed to pay $1,200,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) by issuing prescriptions for opioids and other powerful drugs outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose. Dr. Kurdi is an interventional cardiologist who co-owned and co-operated a group medical practice based in Lubbock, Texas.
In settlement documents, the government contends that Dr. Kurdi—previously a registered DEA practitioner—violated the CSA’s dispensing requirements by issuing numerous prescriptions for controlled substances, including Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Tramadol, Dextroamp-Amphetamine, Vyvanse, and others, in the names of family members and friends—but that were often intended for his own personal use. Dr. Kurdi issued these prescriptions without establishing a legitimate physician-patient relationship, performing physical examinations, or creating medical records that documented the rationale for the purported treatment. Dr. Kurdi routinely filled these prescriptions at Lubbock area pharmacies even though some of the purported recipients lived hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of miles away. In many instances, Dr. Kurdi would personally pick up the prescriptions from these pharmacies to obtain controlled substances for his own personal use.
The Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas stated in announcing the settlement, “Prescribing opioids and other dangerous narcotics outside the usual course of professional practice betrays the trust placed in physicians by society and threatens public safety. This settlement demonstrates our office’s commitment to holding doctors accountable for violating their obligations to properly prescribe these powerful drugs.”
The Acting Special Agent in Charge stated, “This case should serve as a strong warning to all physicians who knowingly prescribe controlled substances without a legitimate medical need or a proper doctor-patient relationship. The DEA will continue to aggressively target and hold accountable physicians who, like Dr. Kurdi, contribute to the poisoning crisis in our communities by improperly distributing these controlled substances.”
In the settlement documents, Dr. Kurdi publicly acknowledges and admits that he issued certain prescriptions in the names of family members and friends to obtain controlled substances, including Oxycodone, for his own personal use. The balance of the conduct outlined in the settlement agreement is merely alleged; the agreement does not constitute an admission of liability by Dr. Kurdi.
In addition to this settlement, Dr. Kurdi previously agreed to voluntarily relinquish his DEA registration.
The Controlled Substances Act
The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) places all substances which were in some manner regulated under existing federal law into one of five schedules. This placement is based upon the substance’s medical use, potential for abuse, and safety or dependence liability.
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