A former pain management physician in Kentucky pleaded guilty to illegal opioid distribution, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.
Five things to know:
1. Scott Akers, MD, who previously practiced in Pikesville, Ky., and his wife who served as his office assistant pleaded guilty to illegal distribution of controlled substances. According to the report, he kept writing pain drug prescriptions for former patients after he stopped practicing there in 2016.
2. In some cases, Dr. Akers wrote prescriptions for individuals without examining them. He wrote prescriptions for people who contacted him and his wife through Facebook or text messages.
3. Dr. Akers sometimes charged $50 to $75 for prescriptions. He prescribed more than 8,800 opioid pills from November 2017 to May 2018, according to the Lexington Herald Leader.
5. Dr. Akers and his wife did not keep records of the prescriptions and allowed for early refills, according to the news release.
5. Dr. Akers faces 20 years in prison and will be sentenced in November. He also agreed to pay $12,275 money judgement.