Doctor, nurse face illegal Rx charges

A doctor and nurse at the Sei Bella Med Spa in Little Rock have been indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations of conspiring to distribute and dispense a controlled substance without an effective prescription.

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The indictment, released Thursday, says that Dr. Anne Rowland Trussell conspired with licensed practical nurse Sandra Joyce Siler to issue prescriptions on a presigned prescription pad for Adipex, also known as phentermine, a Schedule IV narcotic.

Under Arkansas law, an LPN may not assess, diagnose or plan care for patients, and an LPN doesn't have the authority to issue prescriptions, the indictment states. It says that while operating the spa at 9501 Lile Drive, Suite 940, which offered weight-loss services, Botox injections and other medical services, Trussell signed her name on more than 75 blank prescription pads so that Siler could issue prescriptions to patients in the doctor's absence.

The indictment charges both women with conspiring to illegally distribute the drug between August 2014 and February. It also charges Siler with six counts of distributing the drug without an effective prescription on specific dates beginning Aug. 5, 2014, and ending Feb. 9.

Metro on 10/11/2015

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