Texas cardiologist to pay $1.2M for allegedly prescribing opioids to himself
Juan Kurdi, MD, an interventional cardiologist in Lubbock, Texas, has agreed to pay $1.2 million to resolve allegations that he issued prescriptions for a variety of drugs “outside the usual course of professional practice.” These alleged actions represent clear violations of the Controlled Substances Act.
Kurdi co-owned and co-operated a practice for years and was a registered U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) practitioner. He was accused of prescribing a variety of drugs-- Oxycodone, Alprazolam, Tramadol and others—in the names of family members and friends. In many cases, according to these allegations, the drugs were actually for his own personal use. Prescriptions were regularly issued without the establishment of a physician-patient relationship, physical examinations or medical records recording the reason for his actions. In addition, he allegedly picked up many of the prescriptions himself at local pharmacies.
“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,” Nancy E. Larson, acting U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Texas, said in a prepared statement. “This settlement demonstrates our office’s commitment to holding doctors accountable for violating their obligations to properly prescribe these powerful drugs.”
“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,” added Joseph B. Tucker, acting special agent in charge. “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.”
Kurdi’s agreement does not constitute an admission of liability, but he did admit to issuing prescriptions in the names of others when the drugs were for his own personal use. He also agreed to relinquish his DEA registration.
Michael has more than 19 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.