SC doctor sends Snapchat to patient, prescribes Oxy in ‘Sex for Scripts’ scheme: DOJ

(WPDE) — A Florence doctor has pleaded guilty to distributing Oxycodone outside the scope of medical practice without legitimate medical purpose.

Evidence was obtained during the investigation that revealed David Carlos Rodriguez Jr., 50, was a doctor practicing in Lake City. According to a release from the United States Dept. of Justice (DOJ), Rodriguez prescribed Oxycodone to a patient 15 times between May 2018 and January 2019.

According to the release, a patient returned to see Rodriguez in 2018 for pain treatment. Rodriguez reportedly did not ask or inquire about personal medical history, pain rating or what controlled substances she might be taking.

There were clear indicators that the patient was using illicit drugs, per the release. Rodriguez provided the first of 15 prescriptions of Oxycodone, starting at a very high dosage, according to the DOJ.

Rodriguez also allegedly touched the patient during the first appointment in a manner not consistent with any necessary medical examinations. Rodriguez then provided the patient with his Snapchat and began sending her nude pictures, according to the release.

The patient believed this to be a “sex for scripts” trade, in which if the patient engaged in sexual behavior, Rodriguez would write her a prescription for Oxycodone, the DOJ stated in the released.

During the summer of 2018, the patient sought substance abuse treatment and was prescribed Suboxone. When Rodriguez tried to write the patient another prescription for Oxycodone, the pharmacist reportedly noted the conflict between the two drugs and contacted Rodriguez’s office to notify him that he could not prescribe Oxycodone since the patient was already prescribed Suboxone.

The DOJ claimed Rodriguez sent the patient’s prescription to another pharmacy the following day and prescribed Oxycodone for the patient ten more times, despite the notice from the pharmacist.

In the fall of 2018, the patient filmed her appointments with Rodriguez where videos show him hugging, kissing and touching the patient in a manner not related to any medical examination, according to the release.

The release said that during the time the patient saw Rodriguez, he never attempted to wean her off Oxycodone despite the medicine not effectively controlling her pain. The DOJ added Rodriguez kept basic records of the patient without details of why she was being seen and what treatments she was receiving, stating necessary details were only added after repeated legal requests were made for the records.