DEA Chicago Suspends Registration Number of Suburban Chicago Physician
DEA Chicago investigation uncovers alleged prescription and administrative violations committed by Orland Park-based pain specialist
CHICAGO – Robert Bell, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration - Chicago Division, announced that on March 3, 2022, DEA Chicago Diversion Investigators served an Immediate Suspension Order on Faris Abusharif, M.D., for allegedly committing acts that render the continued use of his DEA Registration inconsistent with the public interest.
These alleged acts include failing to prescribe controlled substances for a legitimate medical purpose, prescribing dangerous drug combinations, and failing to properly document and/or provide justifications for such prescribing in patient medical files.
A state-licensed physician is entitled to apply for a DEA Registration and must maintain an approved, active Registration to legally prescribe controlled substance medications. If a physician fails to maintain regulated professional standards when prescribing controlled substances, and continued prescriptive authority would be inconsistent with public interest, the DEA may administratively revoke the physician’s Registration.
In July 2021, an administrative inspection of Dr. Abusharif’s records revealed that he illegally stored Schedule II and III controlled substances at two unregistered locations, failed to keep medical charts on patients that he prescribed controlled substances to, and failed to provide multiple required DEA records in order to complete a controlled substance accountability audit.
Additionally, a review of Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program reports for Dr. Abusharif revealed unusually high quantities of narcotics prescribed to multiple patients. Records also revealed dangerous drug combinations prescribed - including the "trinity" combination of narcotics, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants - to members of the same household, and to himself.
Dr. Abusharif admitted to ordering amphetamine mixed salts to the practice for his own personal use. In September 2021, a medical expert conducted a review of patient charts and concluded that Abusharif was not acting in the usual course of his professional practice when prescribing controlled substances.
The public is reminded that an Immediate Suspension Order alleges regulatory violations. Registrants have the right to administrative hearings before an Administrative Law Judge renders a final decision.
