Arizona Medical Board Doesn't Have a Plan for Pain Patients and It's Costing Lives

In 1990 Dr Albert Yeh of Golden Valley Arizona was arrested by DEA for over prescribing opioids, and another pain doctor just up and left Needles California. In 2009 there was also a significant spike in suicides in Mohave Counrt. I can't prove the coloration between the loss of two pain physicians and the increase in suicides, but someone might want to look into that.   

Dr Yeh was the type of bad physician DEA needs to go after. You'll understand about Dr Yeh when you read the the DEA special agents statement in the affidavit for seizure warrant below. 

Most physicians who treat pain and have problems with DEA do so because of technician violations of the law like medical records. I think most of these violations could be dealt with by education rather than arrest. 

On the patients side the Arizona Medical Board needs to have a plan in place on what to do if patients were to lose their physician who treats chronic pain with opioids..

Currently there is no plan for how to assist pain patients when a prescriber who treats patients with opioids should be arrested. 

Some of Dr Yeh's were people looking for drugs, and news spreads fast. That doesn't mean some of his patients have a legitimate need for opioid pain medications.

How many of Dr Yeh's patients committed suicide?
How many of Dr Yeh's patients turned to the street?
How many of Dr Yeh's patients overdosed because of unknown street doses?

What are WE going to do?

AFFIDAVIT FOR SEIZURE WARRANT

COUNTY OF MARICOPA

STATE OF ARIZONA

Your Affiants, Phoenix Police Detective Jamie Barilla and Erin Hager, a Diversion

Investigator with the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Tactical Diversion Task Force, being first duly sworn upon oath depose and say:

On March 25, 2008, an Arizona peace officer acting in an undercover capacity posing as a new patient at Dr. YEH’s Golden Valley medical clinic met with Dr. YEH.

That agent, Arizona State Attorney General’s Office Special Agent (SA) Cheryl Thomas, was instructed by Dr. YEH’s staff at the clinic to complete paperwork entitled ‘Narcotic Contract’ which indicated that no early refills would be issued, and paperwork entitled ‘pain diagram,’ which was left blank by SA Thomas.

SA Thomas informed Dr. YEH’s medical assistant she did not have a referral from another doctor, nor did she have any xrays with her. The only medical evaluation performed by the medical assistant consisted of placing what resembled a pulse oximeter on SA Thomas’s finger.

Without first introducing himself, Dr. YEH immediately asked SA Thomas what kind of pain she was having. SA Thomas responded that she didn’t feel good, that she had aches and a headache. When asked specifically if she had pain in her shoulders and arms, SA

Thomas replied “no.” Upon having SA Thomas stand on her toes and her heels, Dr. YEH told SA Thomas that, “You’re fine, what can I do for you, what can I do to make you feel better.”

SA Thomas told Dr. YEH she had taken Vicodin (hydrocodone) in the past. Dr.

YEH then issued SA Thomas one prescription for 120 Lortab tablets (hydrocodone – 30 day supply), one prescription for 120 Robaxin tablets (prescription-only muscle relaxer –30 day supply), and a third prescription for an X-ray of the spine.