The Associated Press State & Local Wire

July 13, 2002, Saturday, BC cycle

Drug tests on inmates investigated

SECTION: State and Regional

LENGTH: 208 words

DATELINE: PHOENIX, Ariz.

A psychiatrist working in the state prison system who faces termination for doing drug research on unwitting inmates told investigators he was trying to protect patients from overprescribed anti-psychotic drugs.
Kerwin Lebeis, 51, who has twice been disciplined for professional misconduct, is on administrative leave.
According to Department of Corrections records obtained by The Arizona Republic, Lebeis violated inmate rights while pursuing a “personal theory” that some medications cause excessive activity in the frontal lobes of schizophrenic patients.
“I was just trying to treat patients to get them better, make them feel better,” he told investigators. “The medical community is notorious for ignoring possible harm from new medication … These drugs are being pushed to make a lot of money for the drug companies … and that was another of my concerns.”
To that end, Lebeis cut dosages or eliminated prescriptions for more than 20 prisoners in the Alhambra Behavior Heath Treatment Facility during a three-month period ending in May.
Prison officials have recommended his termination based on a “deliberate disregard for existing policy” and “clear, unethical behavior.”
Lebeis could not be reached for comment.