Margaret Melinda Sprague, M.D.; Revocation of Registration, 12727 [05-5073]
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Federal Register / Vol. 70, No. 49 / Tuesday, March 15, 2005 / Notices
for self-abuse. On multiple occasions,
Respondent gained access to patients’
homes in order to accomplish the thefts,
a particularly heinous modus operandi
for a trusted family physician.
Respondent also failed to maintain
adequate records of controlled
substances as required by DEA
regulations and finally, was convicted
pursuant to his plea agreement of a State
misdemeanor involving controlled
substances.
While the investigative file reflects
Respondent sought treatment for his
addiction, albeit while criminal charges
were pending, and he has undergone
successful follow-up random drug
testing, the egregious nature of his
misconduct bears directly upon his
fitness to posses a DEA registration. In
sum, applying factors two through five
above, Respondent’s abandonment of
his patients’ medical interests and
flaunting of their personal trust to divert
controlled substances to his personal
use, coupled with his flagrant violations
of law and regulation, all lead to the
inevitable conclusion that granting this
application would be inconsistent with
the public interest.
Accordingly, the Deputy
Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, pursuant to the
authority vested in her by 21 U.S.C. 823
and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104, hereby
orders that the application of Glenn
Anthony Routhouska, D.O., for a DEA
Certificate of Registration, be, and it
hereby is denied. This order is effective
April 14, 2005.
Dated: February 14, 2005.
Michele M. Leonhart,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05–5071 Filed 3–14–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–09–M
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
Margaret Melinda Sprague, M.D.;
Revocation of Registration
On September 8, 2004, the Deputy
Assistant Administrator, Office of
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), issued an Order
to Show Cause to Margaret Melinda
Sprague, M.D. (Dr. Sprague) who was
notified of an opportunity to show cause
as to why DEA should not revoke her
DEA Certificate of Registration
BS1464089, pursuant to 21 U.S.C.
824(a)(3) and deny any pending
applications under 21 U.S.C. 823(f), on
the ground that she lacks State authority
to handle controlled substances in the
State of California. The Order to Show
VerDate jul<14>2003
15:31 Mar 14, 2005
Jkt 205001
Cause also notified Dr. Sprague that
should no request for a hearing be filed
within 30 days, her hearing right would
be deemed waived.
The Order to Show Cause was sent by
certified mail to Dr. Sprague at her
registered address in La Jolla, California.
However that letter was unclaimed. It
was then forwarded by the United States
Postal Service to 7934 La Jolla Shores
Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, an
address Dr. Sprague had provided postal
authorities as a forwarding address. She
had also previously advised DEA
investigators to use that address when
sending correspondence related to her
registration. However, the forwarded
letter was also unclaimed and postal
authorities returned it to DEA stamped
‘‘Notice Left—No Response.’’ Additional
efforts by DEA investigators to locate Dr.
Sprague’s current address were also
unsuccessful. DEA has not received a
request for hearing or any other reply
from Dr. Sprague or anyone purporting
to represent her in this matter.
Therefore, the Deputy Administrator
of DEA, finding that: (1) Thirty days
having passed since the attempted
deliveries of the order to Show Cause to
the Registrant’s address of record and
her forwarding address; (2) reasonable
and good faith efforts to locate her have
been unsuccessful; and (3) no request
for hearing having been received,
concludes that Dr. Sprague is deemed to
have waived her hearing right. See
James E. Thomas, M.D., 70 FR 3564
(2005); Steven A. Barnes, M.D., 69 FR
51474 (2004); David W. Linder, 67 FR
12579 (2002). After considering material
from the investigative file in this matter,
the Deputy Administrator now enters
her final order without a hearing
pursuant to 21 CFR 1301.43(d) and (e)
and 1301.46.
The Deputy Administrator finds that
Dr. Sprague is currently registered with
DEA as a practitioner authorized to
handle controlled substances in
Schedules II through V under Certificate
of Registration BS1464089, expiring on
February 28, 2006. According to
information in the investigative file on
December 3, 2003, the Medical Board of
California (Board) issued an Order
immediately suspending Dr. Sprague’s
Physician and Surgeon’s Certificate. The
suspension was based in part, on the
Board’s conclusion that Dr. Sprague was
unable to safely practice medicine due
to a mental or physical condition.
There is no evidence before the
Deputy Administrator to rebut a finding
that Dr. Sprague’s California medical
license has been suspended. Therefore,
The Deputy Administrator finds Dr.
Sprague is currently not authorized to
practice medicine in the State of
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Fmt 4703
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12727
California. As a result, it is reasonable
to infer that she is also without
authorization to handle controlled
substances in that State.
DEA does not have statutory authority
under the Controlled substances Act to
issue or maintain a registration if the
applicant or registrant is without State
authority to handle controlled
substances in the State in which she
conducts business. See 21 U.S.C.
802(21), 823(f) and 824(a)(3). This
prerequisite has been consistently
upheld. See Richard J. Clement, M.D.,
68 FR 12103 (2003); Dominick A. Ricci,
M.D., 58 FR 51104 (1993); Bobby Watts,
M.D., 53 FR 11919 (1988).
Here, it is clear that Dr. Sprague’s
State medical license was suspended
and there is no information before the
Deputy Administrator which points to
that suspension having been lifted or
stayed. As a result, Dr. Sprague is not
authorized to practice medicine or
handle controlled substances in
California, where she is registered with
DEA. Therefore, she is not entitled to
maintain that registration.
Accordingly, the Deputy
Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, pursuant to the
authority vested in her by 21 U.S.C. 823
and 824 and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104,
hereby orders that DEA Certificate of
Registration, BS1464089, issued to
Margaret Melinda Sprague, M.D., be,
and it hereby is, revoked. The Deputy
Administrator further orders that any
pending applications for renewal or
modification of the aforementioned
registration be, and hereby are, denied.
This order is effective April 14, 2005.
Dated: February 14, 2005.
Michele M. Leonhart,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05–5073 Filed 3–14–05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410–09–M
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
Titan Wholesale, Inc.; Denial of
Registration
On October 13, 2004, the Deputy
Assistant Administrator, Office of
Division Control, Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA), issued an Order
to Show Cause to Titan Wholesale, Inc.
(Titan) proposing to deny its August 14,
2003, application for DEA Certificate of
Registration as a distributor of list I
chemicals. The Order to Show Cause
alleged that granting Titan’s application
would be inconsistent with the public
interest, as that term is used in 21 U.S.C.
823(h). The order also notified Titan
E:\FR\FM\15MRN1.SGM
15MRN1
]]>Agencies
[Federal Register Volume 70, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 15, 2005)]
[Notices]
[Page 12727]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 05-5073]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Drug Enforcement Administration
Margaret Melinda Sprague, M.D.; Revocation of Registration
On September 8, 2004, the Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), issued an
Order to Show Cause to Margaret Melinda Sprague, M.D. (Dr. Sprague) who
was notified of an opportunity to show cause as to why DEA should not
revoke her DEA Certificate of Registration BS1464089, pursuant to 21
U.S.C. 824(a)(3) and deny any pending applications under 21 U.S.C.
823(f), on the ground that she lacks State authority to handle
controlled substances in the State of California. The Order to Show
Cause also notified Dr. Sprague that should no request for a hearing be
filed within 30 days, her hearing right would be deemed waived.
The Order to Show Cause was sent by certified mail to Dr. Sprague
at her registered address in La Jolla, California. However that letter
was unclaimed. It was then forwarded by the United States Postal
Service to 7934 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, an
address Dr. Sprague had provided postal authorities as a forwarding
address. She had also previously advised DEA investigators to use that
address when sending correspondence related to her registration.
However, the forwarded letter was also unclaimed and postal authorities
returned it to DEA stamped ``Notice Left--No Response.'' Additional
efforts by DEA investigators to locate Dr. Sprague's current address
were also unsuccessful. DEA has not received a request for hearing or
any other reply from Dr. Sprague or anyone purporting to represent her
in this matter.
Therefore, the Deputy Administrator of DEA, finding that: (1)
Thirty days having passed since the attempted deliveries of the order
to Show Cause to the Registrant's address of record and her forwarding
address; (2) reasonable and good faith efforts to locate her have been
unsuccessful; and (3) no request for hearing having been received,
concludes that Dr. Sprague is deemed to have waived her hearing right.
See James E. Thomas, M.D., 70 FR 3564 (2005); Steven A. Barnes, M.D.,
69 FR 51474 (2004); David W. Linder, 67 FR 12579 (2002). After
considering material from the investigative file in this matter, the
Deputy Administrator now enters her final order without a hearing
pursuant to 21 CFR 1301.43(d) and (e) and 1301.46.
The Deputy Administrator finds that Dr. Sprague is currently
registered with DEA as a practitioner authorized to handle controlled
substances in Schedules II through V under Certificate of Registration
BS1464089, expiring on February 28, 2006. According to information in
the investigative file on December 3, 2003, the Medical Board of
California (Board) issued an Order immediately suspending Dr. Sprague's
Physician and Surgeon's Certificate. The suspension was based in part,
on the Board's conclusion that Dr. Sprague was unable to safely
practice medicine due to a mental or physical condition.
There is no evidence before the Deputy Administrator to rebut a
finding that Dr. Sprague's California medical license has been
suspended. Therefore, The Deputy Administrator finds Dr. Sprague is
currently not authorized to practice medicine in the State of
California. As a result, it is reasonable to infer that she is also
without authorization to handle controlled substances in that State.
DEA does not have statutory authority under the Controlled
substances Act to issue or maintain a registration if the applicant or
registrant is without State authority to handle controlled substances
in the State in which she conducts business. See 21 U.S.C. 802(21),
823(f) and 824(a)(3). This prerequisite has been consistently upheld.
See Richard J. Clement, M.D., 68 FR 12103 (2003); Dominick A. Ricci,
M.D., 58 FR 51104 (1993); Bobby Watts, M.D., 53 FR 11919 (1988).
Here, it is clear that Dr. Sprague's State medical license was
suspended and there is no information before the Deputy Administrator
which points to that suspension having been lifted or stayed. As a
result, Dr. Sprague is not authorized to practice medicine or handle
controlled substances in California, where she is registered with DEA.
Therefore, she is not entitled to maintain that registration.
Accordingly, the Deputy Administrator of the Drug Enforcement
Administration, pursuant to the authority vested in her by 21 U.S.C.
823 and 824 and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104, hereby orders that DEA
Certificate of Registration, BS1464089, issued to Margaret Melinda
Sprague, M.D., be, and it hereby is, revoked. The Deputy Administrator
further orders that any pending applications for renewal or
modification of the aforementioned registration be, and hereby are,
denied. This order is effective April 14, 2005.
Dated: February 14, 2005.
Michele M. Leonhart,
Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 05-5073 Filed 3-14-05; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-09-M
