International Courant
PORTLAND, Maine — A Maine physician who runs an habit therapy heart has been convicted of a number of fees of illegally distributing opioids, together with oxycodone, hydromorphone and fentanyl.
Dr. Merideth Norris, 53, of Kennebunk, Maine, was discovered responsible in federal courtroom Friday of distributing the opioids in her follow. In keeping with courtroom paperwork, she did this and not using a reliable medical objective and with the data that some sufferers have been fighting opioid habit. In keeping with courtroom paperwork, she prescribed the medicine even after sufferers failed drug assessments or have been recognized to be redistributing the medicine locally.
A federal jury convicted Norris of 15 counts of distributing a managed substance, and he or she faces 20 years in jail for every depend.
Prosecutors accused Norris of endangering the security of her sufferers, in keeping with the Portland Press Herald, and failing to heed warning indicators corresponding to failed drug assessments amongst her sufferers or recommendation from insurance coverage firms about prescribing harmful combos of opioids and different medicine.
Her protection group tried to argue that Norris helped sufferers scale back their medicines and that the fees ignored the complexities of treating individuals hooked on opioids and struggling to seek out a physician, the newspaper mentioned.
Norris couldn’t be reached for remark and her restoration heart was closed on Saturday.
Norris has lengthy been beneath scrutiny for her prescribing practices, together with by pharmacists who refused to fill prescriptions she wrote. Walmart pharmacies additionally issued a “central block,” or nationwide ban, on filling prescriptions written by Norris.
Maine physician convicted of a number of fees of illegally distributing opioids
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