Doctor’s License Suspended after Prescribing for Himself

On March 3, 2022, DEA Chicago Diversion Investigators served an Immediate Suspension Order on [Redacted], M.D., for allegedly committing acts that render the continued use of his DEA Registration inconsistent with the public interest.

These alleged acts include failing to prescribe controlled substances for a legitimate medical purpose, prescribing dangerous drug combinations, and failing to properly document and/or provide justifications for such prescribing in patient medical files.

A state-licensed physician is entitled to apply for a DEA Registration and must maintain an approved, active Registration to legally prescribe controlled substance medications. If a physician fails to maintain regulated professional standards when prescribing controlled substances, and continued prescriptive authority would be inconsistent with public interest, the DEA may administratively revoke the physician’s Registration.

In July 2021, an administrative inspection of Dr. [Redacted]’s records revealed that he illegally stored Schedule II and III controlled substances at two unregistered locations, failed to keep medical charts on patients that he prescribed controlled substances to, and failed to provide multiple required DEA records in order to complete a controlled substance accountability audit.

Additionally, a review of Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program reports for Dr. [Redacted] revealed unusually high quantities of narcotics prescribed to multiple patients. Records also revealed dangerous drug combinations prescribed – including the “trinity” combination of narcotics, benzodiazepines and muscle relaxants – to members of the same household, and to himself.

Dr. [Redacted]admitted to ordering amphetamine mixed salts to the practice for his own personal use. In September 2021, a medical expert conducted a review of patient charts and concluded that [Redacted]was not acting in the usual course of his professional practice when prescribing controlled substances.

On March 18, 2022, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation issued an Order suspending both Respondent’s Illinois medical license and Illinois controlled substance license after finding that ‘‘Respondent’s actions constitute[d] an immediate danger to the public.’’

According to the Department’s Petition for Temporary Suspension, these allegations included, among other things, that Respondent engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with patients of his private practice, that Respondent inappropriately prescribed controlled substances to patients of his private practice, that Respondent self-prescribed controlled substances, and that Respondent ordered controlled substances from a supplier for his own use without a prescription.

On March 2, 2022, the Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration issued an Order to Show Cause and Immediate Suspension of Registration (hereinafter, OSC/ISO) to Faris [Redacted], M.D. (hereinafter, Respondent) of Orland Park, Illinois.

The OSC/ISO notified Respondent of the immediate suspension of his Certificate of Registration No. BA8201775 because ‘‘[his] continued registration constitutes ‘an imminent danger to the public health or safety.’ ’’

The OSC/ISO also proposed the revocation of Respondent’s Certificate of Registration No. BA8201775 because ‘‘[his] continued registration is inconsistent with the public interest, as that term is defined in 21 U.S.C. 823(f).’’ Id.

The OSC/ISO alleged that from at least February 10, 2017, through at least January 5, 2022, Respondent ‘‘issued numerous prescriptions for controlled substances to five individuals outside of the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical
purpose.’’

The OSC/ISO also alleged that during an interview by DEA on July 22, 2021, Respondent admitted to ordering Adderall from his distributor and taking it himself without a prescription as well as to prescribing Ritalin and tramadol to himself between November 14, 2020, and February 27, 2021 in violation of state law.

According to Illinois online records, of which the Agency takes official notice, Respondent’s Illinois medical license is still suspended.
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation License Lookup, https://online-dfpr.micropact.com/lookup/licenselookup.aspx