The Associated Press State & Local Wire

September 26, 2003, Friday, BC cycle

Doctor, nurse charged with illegally prescribing OxyContin

SECTION: State and Regional

LENGTH: 149 words

DATELINE: LOUISVILLE, Ky.

A Louisville psychiatrist and her nurse practitioner have been charged with illegally prescribing controlled substances, including the painkiller OxyContin.
Dr. Wrenda B. Gallien and Felisa H. Rogers were arrested Thursday night at the Alternative Health and Wellness Center, said Sgt. Bill Stivers, supervisor of the prescription drug squad of Metro Narcotics.
Stivers said the investigation resulted from a tip from a pharmacist who noticed that Gallien, a psychiatrist, was prescribing OxyContin in the strongest dose available – 80 milligrams.
Police said that Gallien, before leaving the state for three days, signed her name to multiple blank prescriptions for controlled substances, allowing Rogers to illegally prescribe the substances without proper supervision.
Gallien and Rogers also were charged with wrongfully filling prescriptions for controlled substances.