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Misrepresenting yourself to a doctor or pharmacist, doctor shopping, or being dishonest when obtaining controlled substances from a doctor or pharmacist are examples of prescription fraud. Physicians who prescribe drugs without a legitimate purpose may also be accused of prescription fraud. A physician may face prescription fraud charges for issuing a prescription that is either outside the usual or normal course of the doctor’s practice, or for an illegitimate medical reason.
This offense is becoming more common as prescription medication becomes more and more universally used by people throughout our community. Occasionally, theses prescriptions are forged, altered, or otherwise illegally amended. If you or a loved one is charged with prescription fraud, it is important for you to immediately contact us for a free consultation.
Doctor Shopping
One of the more common practices of prescription fraud is doctor shopping. Doctors are limited to how much medication they can prescribe to patients. If you visit different doctors at different offices to obtain narcotics and fail to advise them that you are already taking medication or have other prescriptions, you are committing criminal fraud.
Chronic pain sufferers who are addicted to opiates or pain medication and need increasingly larger doses to obtain the same relief often use doctor shopping to obtain drugs. Hospital workers and nurses are common defendants in these cases because they are addicted or want to obtain drugs to sell to others.
Other Examples of Prescription Fraud
Other types of prescription fraud include:
Section 18.2-258.1 of the Code of Virginia provides that prescription fraud is generally a Class 6 Felony, which carries with it up to 5 years in jail and up to a $2,500.00 fine.
Defenses
The usual criminal defenses are available in prescription drug cases, including challenges to illegal search and seizures, defective search warrants, and other constitutional violations. A doctor can use the "good faith" defense if a patient fails to disclose a material fact that, if the doctor knew, would not have resulted in a prescription.
Virginia employs alternative sentencing or dispositions such as drug courts and pre-trial diversion programs in first-offense cases. In such cases, felony charges may be dropped to a misdemeanor upon completion of a court-approved program. Consulting an experienced criminal defense attorney is essential when charged with a prescription drug fraud in Virginia. It can mean the difference between a bright or an uncertain future. Contact us if you have been charged with prescription fraud for a free consultation and we will aggressively fight to try to keep your record clean and avoid potential jail time.
This offense is becoming more common as prescription medication becomes more and more universally used by people throughout our community. Occasionally, theses prescriptions are forged, altered, or otherwise illegally amended. If you or a loved one is charged with prescription fraud, it is important for you to immediately contact us for a free consultation.
Doctor Shopping
One of the more common practices of prescription fraud is doctor shopping. Doctors are limited to how much medication they can prescribe to patients. If you visit different doctors at different offices to obtain narcotics and fail to advise them that you are already taking medication or have other prescriptions, you are committing criminal fraud.
Chronic pain sufferers who are addicted to opiates or pain medication and need increasingly larger doses to obtain the same relief often use doctor shopping to obtain drugs. Hospital workers and nurses are common defendants in these cases because they are addicted or want to obtain drugs to sell to others.
Other Examples of Prescription Fraud
Other types of prescription fraud include:
- Forging prescriptions on a stolen physician’s pad
- Use of computers to create fake prescriptions
- Impersonating medical staff to call in prescriptions and using own number as call-back confirmation
- Altering the drug quantity on a physician's prescription
Section 18.2-258.1 of the Code of Virginia provides that prescription fraud is generally a Class 6 Felony, which carries with it up to 5 years in jail and up to a $2,500.00 fine.
Defenses
The usual criminal defenses are available in prescription drug cases, including challenges to illegal search and seizures, defective search warrants, and other constitutional violations. A doctor can use the "good faith" defense if a patient fails to disclose a material fact that, if the doctor knew, would not have resulted in a prescription.
Virginia employs alternative sentencing or dispositions such as drug courts and pre-trial diversion programs in first-offense cases. In such cases, felony charges may be dropped to a misdemeanor upon completion of a court-approved program. Consulting an experienced criminal defense attorney is essential when charged with a prescription drug fraud in Virginia. It can mean the difference between a bright or an uncertain future. Contact us if you have been charged with prescription fraud for a free consultation and we will aggressively fight to try to keep your record clean and avoid potential jail time.
