A physician and two pharmacists arrested for their alleged roles in a high-volume pill mill operation in Houston had previously faced disciplinary probes or punishment for improperly distributing controlled drugs, though all three had been allowed to continue to work despite those allegations, professional disciplinary records show. For nearly two years Dr. Gerald Ratinov, described as the state's top prescriber of the popular pain drug hydrocodone in 2010, has been under investigation by the Texas Medical Board based on complaints he previously ran another rogue Harris County pill mill. At that site, an unlicensed foreign graduate dispensed drugs and patients received pain pills without proper examinations in 2008, the complaint says. LISE OLSEN, Houston Chronicle 04/01/2011 |