Florida Accident Attorney Blog

South Florida's pain management clinics have come under increased scrutiny in connection with the illegal pill trade and trafficking of Oxycontin and other powerful prescription drugs.

The office of State Attorney Michael McAuliffe of Palm Beach County, Florida, is hosting a summit in West Palm Beach to look at the growing problem of pain clinics, drug trafficking, and prescription drug abuse. The Prescription Drug Abuse and Pain Clinic Summit, held in late Feb., will bring together medical officials, law enforcement personnel, and policymakers to examine the problem.

Last year, several pain management clinics in Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach County and Broward County, Florida, came under investigation for illegally selling prescription drugs. (See Florida Elder Care Alert: Fort Lauderdale, Broward & Palm Beach County Pain Clinics Scrutinized.) SAMHSA (the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) reports that drug abuse among senior citizens is on the rise, as the Baby Boom generation ages.

Florida medication error lawyers have knowledge pertaining to product liability, prescription drugs, and medical malpractice as they all impact the care of our senior citizens.

Overdose of powerful prescription pain drugs such as opioids can lead to wrongful death. Experts at the Feb. 2010 Summit, which will be held Clayton Hutcheson Agricultural Center in West Palm Beach, will discuss legislation for greater self-regulation in the Florida medical industry.

West Palm Beach summit takes look at prescription drug abuse, pain clinics
Sun-Sentinel.com Feb. 22, 2010

Drug Use Rising Among Seniors; Baby Boomers Continue Using, SAMHSA Says
Jan. 11, 2010

Related Web Resources

Florida State Attorney Michael F. McAuliffe, Palm Beach County, Florida

American Academy of Pain Medicine

A spokesperson for an Ocala, Florida pharmacy has stepped forward to say that a supplemental medication it prepared for the Venezuelan Lechuza polo team's horses may have been incorrectly mixed. Last weekend, 21 polo horses died while preparing for the championship polo matches in Wellington, Florida, leading some in the equestrian community to speculate whether the horses had been poisoned.

The Associated Press reports that a statement made by Jennifer Beckett of Franck's Pharmacy in Ocala said that "the strength of an ingredient in the medication was incorrect." The pharmacy, which came forward after conducting its own internal investigation, and the Lechuza polo team are cooperating with investigating officials. The Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are investigating.

Questions remain as to the ingredients used in the compound and whether the mixture was approved for use in the United States. The AP reports that the pharmacy mixed the prescription--written by a Florida veterinarian--to create a compound similar to a French-made mineral and vitamins supplement called Biodyl, which is used to treat horses for exhaustion. Many of the horses who died last Sunday expired within hours of being given the compound. The U.S. has not approved the use of Biodyl, and it is unclear whether issues of product liability will be relevant to this case.

It is also unclear whether any medical or pharmaceutical negligence occurred in the preparation of the medication given to the horses, nor whether any medication error lawsuits will be filed. The sudden deaths of these beautiful animals demonstrates what can happen when medication errors occur. Unfortunately, medication errors occur all too frequently. A Florida prescription error attorney represents families who believe they or a loved one may have suffered personal injury or perished due to medication errors.

The U.S. Polo Association website states that the Lechuza Caracas team has withdrawn from the U.S. Open Polo Championships. Equestrian sporting events bring commerce, tourists, and media attention to Wellington and Palm Beach County, Florida.

AP Newsbreak: Pharmacy made mistake in horse drug
Yahoo! News, Associated Press April 23, 2009

Ocala pharmacy says it incorrectly prepared medication for 21 polo horses that died
SunSentinel.com April 23, 2009

Related Web Resources

United States Polo Association

Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office

Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reports that pain management clinics in Fort Lauderdale and Broward and Palm Beach Counties are under scrutiny for potential illegal activity surrounding distribution of prescription pain medications.

The report states that 130 pain clinics are in operation in South Florida -- 70 of which have opened in Broward County and Palm Beach County since January 2008. Of those 70, the report found that 48 clinics are owned by investors and not physicians. Police are stepping up efforts to examine activities at some clinics, which are under suspicion for taking part in the illegal sale of OxyContin and other painkillers as street drugs.

Doctors are pushing for a bill that would enable the state of Florida with more power to regulate investor-operated pain management clinics. The Sun-Sentinel reports that some pain clinics are offering gift cards and cash rewards for patients who refer other patients to the clinics.

A Florida personal injury attorney assists families in cases where an overprescription of drugs leads to physical injury, brain damage or wrongful death. In this case, the Sun-Sentinel learned that of the physicians staffing these pain management clinics under scrutiny, 14 had been disciplined for overprescribing drugs. The report also stated that more than 4,000 Floridians died from prescription drug overdoses in 2008 -- up 20 percent from 2007. Of the top 50 U.S. clinics known for dispensing OxyContin, are all in Florida -- with Broward County hosting 33 of them.

Nursing Home Medication Errors
Seniors who are trying to manage chronic pain due to arthritis and a host of other conditions are vulnerable to being given the wrong medication or too much medication, causing an estimated 800,000 "adverse drug reactions" every year. (Gurwitz, et al., Incidence and preventability of adverse drug events in nursing homes, The American Journal of Medicine, Aug. 1, 2000.) Nursing home medication errors is a concern for families who've placed their parents or grandparents in a long-term care facility and depend on nursing home staff to dispense medications and keep their loved ones safe.

South Florida pain centers that promote pill trade face scrutiny
SunSentinel.com April 7, 2009

Related Web Resource

AARP:Your Guide to Choosing a Long-Acting Opioid Analgesic for Chronic Pain