San Diego doctor pays $ 200,000 to resolve allegations he wrote illegitimate opioid prescriptions | USAO-SDCA

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Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan M. Aste (619) 546-7621

PRESS RELEASE SUMMARY September 2, 2021

SAN DIEGO San Diego-area Pain Clinic physician Brenton Wynn, MD, paid $ 200,000 to resolve allegations that he illegally prescribed opioids and other dangerous drugs to his patients, according to a settlement agreement signed by Dr. Wynn and the United States. The settlement stems from continued efforts by the United States to tackle the opioid epidemic on all fronts, including this investigation into whether Dr. Wynn illegally prescribed opioids to his patients in violation of the Substances Act controlled.

The Controlled Substances Act provides that physicians may write opioid prescriptions only for legitimate medical purposes while acting within the normal course of their professional practice. The United States has alleged that Dr. Wynn wrote opioid prescriptions to patients without a legitimate medical reason and / or outside of the usual course of his professional practice for more than five years. Dr. Wynn has written prescriptions for fentanyl, oxycodone, hydromorphone, methadone, oxymorphone and morphine.

The United States further alleged that Dr Wynn simultaneously prescribed a dangerous combination of opioids and benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium. More concerning still, Dr. Wynn is said to have prescribed some patients a combination of at least one opioid, a benzodiazepine and a muscle relaxant like Soma. Drug addicts colloquially refer to the combination of opioids, benzodiazepines, and muscle relaxants like Trinity or Holy Trinity because of its rapid euphoric effects. These drug combinations are known to dramatically increase the risk of addiction, abuse, and overdose.

The investigation illustrates the Department of Justice’s willingness to investigate doctors who may be prescribing too many opioids while treating patients with painful conditions. These physicians should always prescribe opioids only in accordance with recognized and accepted medical standards. Indeed, public health experts have long warned healthcare providers that the risk of overdose is high in patients receiving medically prescribed opioids, especially those receiving high doses. Physicians and other health care providers should carefully monitor the potency of opioids prescribed to patients by noting the milligram equivalent of morphine (MME, also commonly known as the equivalent dose of morphine or MED) of the opioid prescribed. Among other things, MME monitoring advances best pain management practices by reinforcing the need for providers to consider alternatives to the use of high dose opioids to treat pain and to appropriately justify decisions to use opioids at doses that put patients at high risk for dependence, abuse, and overdose. In addition, prescribing high doses increases the risk of patients diverting opioids.

Based on their investigation, the United States alleged that Dr Wynn prescribed large amounts of opioids to his patients that reached high daily levels of MME, often even exceeding 120 MME. The United States further alleged that Dr Wynn sometimes continued to prescribe unsafe opioids even when the results of his patients’ urine tests showed that they were not taking the drugs prescribed by Dr Wynn.

Even in our climate of heightened awareness of the dangers of opioids, some doctors continue to over-prescribe opioids, said Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. This office will prosecute those who prescribe too many doctors and bring them to justice. And as we have consistently demonstrated, we will continue to use all available tools to fight the serious opioid epidemic. Grossman praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan Aste and the Drug Enforcement Administration for their work in the investigation.

The DEA has administrative action pending against Dr. Wynn (case # 20-10) to revoke his ability to prescribe opioids and other controlled substances.

While the large number of medical professionals legitimately prescribe opioids and meet the standards of care for their patients, the DEA will vigorously seek information from the public on doctors who are not, said the special agent of the DEA in charge, John W. Callery. The DEA will always protect the public from doctors who put their patients at risk.

To report a tip directly to a DEA representative regarding medical staff writing suspicious opioid prescriptions and pharmacies dispensing large amounts of opioids, call (571) 324-6499 or visit the DEA website ( https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/) and click on Report illicit pharmaceutical activity.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Dylan M. Aste of the Southern California District Attorney’s Office has dealt with the case with DEA ​​investigators.

Claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.

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