Health officials say many large pill prescriptions are legitimate

Some doctors and health-care professionals are concerned that allegations against Dr. Warren Stack might be misinterpreted by patients or even other doctors.

Mark Fotheringham, spokesman for the Utah Medical Association, said prescribing 90 to 100 Hydrocodone pills for a patient isn't unusual. The large majority of doctors shouldn't worry that the DEA will come after them if they do that.

"A doctor can prescribe up to a 30-day supply of what seems appropriate for that patient," he said.

Any physician that does not take into account a person possibly becoming addicted to pain medications is being irresponsible, Fotheringham said. However, he said there are patients living with severe pain every day, such as patients with terminal cancer, who need to be prescribed that many drugs.

"They need real help these opiates provide. They're not addicts ... they're not criminals," he said.

In 2006, the Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing made enhancements to its controlled substance database that allows pharmacists to keep better track of which doctors are prescribing an inordinate amount of pills.

Once red flags are raised on any doctor, an investigation immediately starts. Sometimes those investigations can take a long time before a doctor's license is suspended, said division director David Stanley.

In Stack's case, Salt Lake County Sheriff's Lt. Robby Russo said filling out a prescription for 90 to 100 pills went beyond irresponsible because he said Stack would commonly fill out three prescriptions at a time for a patient with a minor injury or for an alleged injury that wasn't verified.

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