The former chief executive of Insys Therapeutics and several other former executives were arrested Thursday on federal charges of conspiring to bribe doctors to prescribe a prescription version of the potent opioid fentanyl.
The painkiller, called Subsys, is approved by the Food and Drug Administration for cancer patients who suffer from intense bouts of pain that are not controlled by other opioid medications. In exchange for bribes and kickbacks offered by Insys employees, several doctors wrote large numbers of Subsys prescriptions for patients who did not have cancer, prosecutors said.
“As alleged, top executives of Insys Therapeutics, Inc. paid kickbacks and committed fraud to sell a highly potent and addictive opioid that can lead to abuse and life threatening respiratory depression,” Harold H. Shaw, the head of the Boston office of the FBI, said in a statement. “In doing so, they contributed to the growing opioid epidemic and placed profit before patient safety.”
My sweet daughter, Glynis Smith died on 11/17/2016 from an accidental overdose of fentanyl. Her physican, Manny Joel and physican asstistant Dave recently increased her doseage from 200 to 600 ml and told she could safely take 1200 to 1800 ml when needed. Glynis suffered from Arnold
Chiari Malformation and Reflex sympathic dystrophy, not
cancer. I hope someone can STOP these pain care doctors from killing their patients who see them as their only hope!
My sister also passed away from an accidental overdose 4/22/18. Joel Mannie was her doctor, too. Hmmmmm?
Correction, My sister’s Doctor was Mannie Joel.