A doctor at a Munster medical practice was indicted for allegedly over-prescribing hydrocodone, according to court documents.
Dr. Jay Joshi, who practiced at Prestige Clinic in Munster, was indicted on four counts of selling, distributing or dispensing hydrocodone, according to court documents unsealed in federal court Monday. The indictments cited four incidents where an unnamed individual reportedly received prescriptions for 60 tablets of hydrocodone during four consecutive monthly visits, according to court documents.
"During the time period alleged in this indictment, Joshi dispensed controlled substances that were not prescribed for a legitimate medical purpose and outside the scope of professional practice," the indictment said.
Federal investigators found that since April 2017, Joshi allegedly issued more than 6,000 prescriptions for controlled substances, according to court documents. Documents showed Joshi ranked first in Lake County and ninth in Indiana for the number of prescriptions written for controlled substances, according to the indictment.
The unsealed indictment laid out a series of appointments where "Individual A" allegedly got prescriptions from Joshi.
On July 18, "Individual A" reportedly asked Joshi for Vicodin, according to court documents, and was given a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone after a "cursory medical examination."
On Aug. 14, "Individual A" again obtained a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone.
One Sept. 13, "Individual A" obtained a prescription for 66 tablets of hydrocodone.
On Nov. 13, "Individual A" obtained a prescription for 60 tablets of hydrocodone.
The indictment also alleged that in May 2017 staff at Prestige Clinic dispensed prescriptions for controlled substances to patients while Joshi was in Greece, according to court documents.