Feds charge New Castle doctor with overprescribing painkillers for patients

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A New Castle, Pa., doctor has been charged with overprescribing painkillers to patients, 11 of whom are also charged with reselling the drugs on the street.

State prosecutors said Dr. Van Edward Scott prescribed 2.19 million doses of painkillers in one year, 60 percent more than any other doctor in the state.

The drugs have a street value of $50 million.

But defense attorney Michael Frisk said Dr. Scott, 59, isn’t doing anything other than prescribing painkillers to patients who have run out of other treatment options.

For the complete story, see Saturday's Vindicator and Vindy.com