The policy resulted to the distributions of more than 6.6 million doses of medically unnecessary opioids to patients. The DOJ noted that some of the patients who received back injections were suffering from legitimate back pains but others were drug dealers and opioid addicts who were forced to submit to back injections in exchange for prescriptions of Oxycodone 30 mg.
“Testimony at the trial established that in some instances the patients experienced more pain from the shots than from the pain they had purportedly come to have treated; that audible screams from patients were observed throughout the clinics; and that some patients developed adverse conditions, including open holes in their back.” the Justice Department stated in a press release.
At trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Tri-County Wellness Group clinics “valued making money over patients. Rashid only hired physicians who were willing to disregard patient care in the pursuit of money. Evidence showed that he split Medicare reimbursements with physicans who agreed to follow his company’s policy of administering the expensive and unnecessary injections on patients, according to the the DOJ.
