Tustin, Calif.-based physician Dzung Ahn Pham, MD, was sentenced to 151 months in prison for illegally distributing opioids to patients he knew were addicts, the Justice Department said June 9.
Dr. Pham, owner of Irvine (Calif.) Village Urgent Care, conspired with pharmacist Jennifer Nguyen, PharmD, to illegally distribute oxycodone, hydrocodone, amphetamine salts and other controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose, including to people he knew were addicts.
He would direct his patients to Dr. Nguyen, who would fill the prescriptions. Dr. Pham would also write prescriptions for non-controlled substances to avoid red flags, according to a Justice Department news release.
From January 2013 to December 2019, Dr. Pham wrote prescriptions for 18 patients for 53,693 pills of oxycodone, approximately 68,795 pills of hydrocodone and approximately 29,286 pills of amphetamine salts.
Dr. Pham generated cash from the operation by charging between $100 and $150 per office visit, the release said.