What do a Michigan doctor and more than 20,000 prescriptions have in common? The opioid crisis.
In April, 2016 the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (LARA) released an administrative complaint that alleges that Dr. Kenneth Chun issued more than 26,000 prescriptions. This is admittedly a large number, but what makes it even more startling is that Chun wrote these prescriptions for just one year (2015).
Many of these prescriptions were for methadone, an opioid/opiate drug that is often used to treat addiction to other opioids/opiates. LARA alleges that Chun issued these prescriptions because he was addicted to drugs himself and also diverted drugs to others, prescribing the powerful drugs without proper justification.
While startling, in some ways, this story is not unique. Doctors, nurses, dentists, and others in the medical world often wrestle with substance use disorder. They site the stress of their jobs and the availability of drugs as factors that contribute to such abuse.
It also illustrates the widespread nature of the opiate/opioid epidemic. Opioid abuse isn’t just people addicted to heroin and turning to crime to support their habits. It can be anyone you know, including your doctor.
Another frightening aspect of this case is the fact that Chun allegedly prescribed such drugs to others, sometimes in dangerous combinations that he did not explain. Doctors, nurses, and dentists presumably know the addictive nature of opioids and other potentially dangerous side effects the drugs can cause. People outside the medical profession don’t always have this knowledge.
The fact that doctors abuse and overprescribe the very drugs used to treat such abuse is odd, but maybe it shouldn’t be. Everything else surrounding substance use disorder is odd, sad, and frustrating. Why should this be any different?
Luckily, authorities are recognizing the danger and absurdity of these situations. The state of Michigan’s attorney general’s office and LARA established a Drug Monitoring Section in 2016. This section investigates and works to create penalties for the overprescription of dangerous drugs such as opioids/opiates. Recognizing the danger of such drugs might be a good step in fighting their abuse.
