United States Drug Diversion Defense Attorney

Lawyers Assisting Medical Professionals Across the U.S. Who Are Being Investigated by the DEA for Drug Trafficking

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regularly performs investigations to uncover the illegal use, sale, or distribution of controlled substances, including both "street drugs" and prescription medications. Medical professionals who are authorized to prescribe or dispense these types of drugs, including doctors, dentists, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacies, may find themselves being investigated, and they may need to take steps to prevent DEA enforcement actions that could affect their controlled substance registration, their professional licenses, and other areas of their career and business. A skilled attorney can help providers determine how to respond to DEA investigations and claims of drug diversion or drug trafficking.

At The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc., we have over a decade of experience in cases involving controlled substances. With our knowledge and understanding of the laws that apply to medical professionals and pharmacies, we will make sure your rights are protected in a DEA investigation, and we will help you understand the best ways to proceed when responding to the DEA's requests. We will fight to defend your ability to work with controlled substances, and we will help you avoid penalties that could affect your practice and your career.

What Is Drug Diversion?

While many controlled substances can be used for legitimate medical purposes, there are laws and restrictions placed on when they can be prescribed and how they should be transported, stored, and distributed to consumers. Drug diversion occurs when these substances are removed from the intended supply chain leading from the manufacturer to the patient and used for non-legal purposes. A provider may be accused of drug diversion based on controlled substances being provided to patients for non-medical purposes, or the DEA may believe that a person is part of a large-scale drug trafficking operation.

Drug diversion often involves opioids and other types of prescription pain medications, but other types of drugs may also be prescribed or dispensed illegally, including anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and stimulants. In some cases, drug diversion is committed purposefully, such as when a doctor writes medically unnecessary prescriptions in return for payment or a pharmacist falsifies records in order to dispense drugs illegally. However, providers may also find themselves under investigation for drug diversion for a variety of other reasons, including:

• Over-prescribing - If a doctor issues a large number of prescriptions for controlled substances, or if they regularly prescribe these drugs in high doses or large amounts, these activities could be viewed by the DEA as signs that they are engaging in the unlawful prescribing of controlled substances.
• Failure to prevent drug abuse - Medical providers may face investigations if they did not follow the correct practices to ensure that patients do not receive illegitimate prescriptions for controlled substances. Doctors may face consequences if they do not fully review patient records to look for signs that a person may be "doctor shopping" or intending to receive multiple prescriptions from different providers. They should also use pain management contracts to ensure that patients do not abuse opioids or other types of drugs. Pharmacies may be investigated due to their failure to review prescriptions or address concerns about controlled substances being provided to patients without a valid medical reason.
• Lack of security - Doctors may be investigated if the theft of prescription pads led to illegal prescriptions being issued. Pharmacies or medical or dental offices may face consequences if the proper measures were not taken to prevent controlled substances from being stolen from their facility.

Contact a National Drug Trafficking Defense Lawyer

If you are being investigated by the DEA based on suspicions about drug diversion, you may face serious consequences, including the suspension or revocation of your DEA registration, the loss of your medical license, or even criminal charges. The Law Offices of Joseph J. Bogdan, Inc. can provide invaluable legal help during an investigation, and we will help you do what is needed to avoid these consequences and continue practicing medicine. Contact us today by calling 630-310-1267 to arrange a free consultation.