09-26-2012, 07:34 PM
FLORENCE â Following the deaths of 14 of his patients from prescription drug overdoses, a Northern Kentucky doctor has had his medical license suspended and is the subject of a federal criminal investigation.
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure suspended Dr. Gary Shearerâs license on Monday after it found his practice constituted a danger to the health, welfare and safety of his patients or the general public. The 14 patients, who died in the past three years, ranged in age from 30 to 59.
The medical board began investigating Shearer in November after discovering he was one of the top prescribers in the state of the narcotic oxycodone. The state attorney general uses a system called KASPER that tracks prescription medication to identify patients who âdoctor shopâ or doctors who operate âpill mills.â
Shearerâs âfailure to comply with acceptable and prevailing practices in the treatment and monitoring of patients prescribed controlled substances, and (Shearerâs) fraudulent and unethical behavior, demonstrates that (Shearer) has not exhibited the ability to practice medicine safely,â according to the medical boardâs emergency order of suspension.
Shearer, 67, of Union has not been charged with a crime and could not be reached for comment. His office in Florence, where he practices family medicine, was closed Tuesday.
Judy Frost, 60, of Erlanger said her son was one of Shearerâs patients who died. James Frost, 39, was being treated for bipolar disorder when he died in May 2011 of mixed drug toxicity, she said.
She went to Shearerâs office on Tuesday after learning of the suspension. She said the parking lot, which was empty Tuesday morning, was usually filled with vehicles from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
âIt makes me feel so good,â she said of the suspension of Shearerâs medical license. âI hope they bring criminal charges against him. I think he belongs in prison.â
Shearerâs attorney, Bob Sanders, said his client is cooperating with the federal authorities and denies doing anything wrong.
Sanders said Shearerâs legal team has investigated several of the patient deaths and most of them overdosed on heroin â obviously not prescribed by Shearer.
âNobody has ever died as a result of taking drugs prescribed by Dr. Shearer as they were prescribed by Dr. Shearer,â Sanders said. âI guarantee it.â
Sanders said it isnât a doctorâs fault if a patient doesnât follow the directions on the prescription or mixes the prescription drugs with illegal drugs.
âUnless the doctor goes home with every patient, I donât know how they are supposed to control that,â he said. âShow me a single case where any patient died as a result of taking drugs as prescribed by Dr. Shearer, and I will go out and help you string him up.â
It is unclear how the suspension of Shearerâs medical license will affect the doctorâs plans to open a methadone clinic in Covington. He applied Sept. 4 for a state license to operate a pain management facility. An earlier zoning request for the clinic prompted scores of residents to protest.http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...309250044/
The Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure suspended Dr. Gary Shearerâs license on Monday after it found his practice constituted a danger to the health, welfare and safety of his patients or the general public. The 14 patients, who died in the past three years, ranged in age from 30 to 59.
The medical board began investigating Shearer in November after discovering he was one of the top prescribers in the state of the narcotic oxycodone. The state attorney general uses a system called KASPER that tracks prescription medication to identify patients who âdoctor shopâ or doctors who operate âpill mills.â
Shearerâs âfailure to comply with acceptable and prevailing practices in the treatment and monitoring of patients prescribed controlled substances, and (Shearerâs) fraudulent and unethical behavior, demonstrates that (Shearer) has not exhibited the ability to practice medicine safely,â according to the medical boardâs emergency order of suspension.
Shearer, 67, of Union has not been charged with a crime and could not be reached for comment. His office in Florence, where he practices family medicine, was closed Tuesday.
Judy Frost, 60, of Erlanger said her son was one of Shearerâs patients who died. James Frost, 39, was being treated for bipolar disorder when he died in May 2011 of mixed drug toxicity, she said.
She went to Shearerâs office on Tuesday after learning of the suspension. She said the parking lot, which was empty Tuesday morning, was usually filled with vehicles from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
âIt makes me feel so good,â she said of the suspension of Shearerâs medical license. âI hope they bring criminal charges against him. I think he belongs in prison.â
Shearerâs attorney, Bob Sanders, said his client is cooperating with the federal authorities and denies doing anything wrong.
Sanders said Shearerâs legal team has investigated several of the patient deaths and most of them overdosed on heroin â obviously not prescribed by Shearer.
âNobody has ever died as a result of taking drugs prescribed by Dr. Shearer as they were prescribed by Dr. Shearer,â Sanders said. âI guarantee it.â
Sanders said it isnât a doctorâs fault if a patient doesnât follow the directions on the prescription or mixes the prescription drugs with illegal drugs.
âUnless the doctor goes home with every patient, I donât know how they are supposed to control that,â he said. âShow me a single case where any patient died as a result of taking drugs as prescribed by Dr. Shearer, and I will go out and help you string him up.â
It is unclear how the suspension of Shearerâs medical license will affect the doctorâs plans to open a methadone clinic in Covington. He applied Sept. 4 for a state license to operate a pain management facility. An earlier zoning request for the clinic prompted scores of residents to protest.http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20120...309250044/