Kentucky Physician Surrenders DEA Registration To Prescribe Controlled Substances
-Laura Hazeltine failed to maintain accurate inventory records of controlled substances Agrees to pay U.S. Government $50,000 in settlement agreement
Contact: Public Information Officer
Number: (313) 234-4310
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Kerry B. Harvey, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Robert L. Corso, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement (DEA) jointly announced today that a physician from Prestonsburg, Ky., paid the U.S. Government $50,000 to settle civil claims that she failed to account for nearly 5,000 prescription pills at her office.
According to the settlement agreement, the U.S. Government contends that, from June 2009 until May 2012, Dr. Laura Hazeltine failed to maintain accurate inventory records of controlled substances. More specifically, the Government contends that an audit conducted by the DEA revealed Hazeltine, who practices family medicine, couldn’t account for 4,967 pills and at least 10 purchasing records for controlled substances.
In addition to the monetary settlement amount, Dr. Hazeltine surrendered her DEA registration.
Doctors are only allowed to write prescriptions for controlled substances if they are registered with the DEA. DEA registrants are required by federal law to maintain complete and accurate inventory and dispensing records of all controlled substances.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA. Assistant U.S. Attorney Valorie D. Smith represented the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case.-
