Jacksonville physician says drugs prescribed for no apparent medical reason

William Jacobs, a Jacksonville physician specializing in addiction and pain management, testified lots of people have been treated with addictive pain medications and had problems.

Jacobs said it's acceptable to treat patients with opiates, but it's easy for anyone to develop a physical dependence to pain killers such as hydocodone, percocet and oxycontin.

"Addiction is about having your brain highjacked," he said ""It's almost as if a switch has been thrown in the brain."

When asked if it was unusual for doctors to take unused prescription drugs from patients, Jacobs said "it's illegal for doctors to take drugs from patients."

Jacobs testified he reviewed Jamie Carter's medical records and Chua noted in the initial evaluation that Carter did not want to be labeled a drug seeker.

Carter overdosed and died in Chua's home less than three months later.

Carter's medical records should have caused concern for Chua, however, because Jacobs said the records indicated Carter had been treated for "depression, anxiety and substance abuse."

Most doctors would have been concerned about Carter's medical history, he said.

Jacobs said he and most physicians have a policy of not treating his office staff or family members because it "clouds your objectivity." Carter was treated by Chua while he worked in the doctor's office and lived in his home.

Jacobs discussed the effects of methadone, one of the drugs prescribed to Carter by Chua.

He said all his patients treated with methadone are screened for other drugs that might be in their system because they could increase the effect of methadone.

Jacobs said he couldn't think of any legitimate medical reason for a patient to be prescribed the drugs given to Carter to treat his pain.

"I couldn't prescribe that number prescriptions and assess whether they were working," he said.

Jacobs said Carter was prescribed nearly every narcotic pain killer while he was treated by Chua.

The day of Carter's death, Chua brought the victim home after he complained about being lethargic.

Jacobs said Carter's death was not unexpected, considering the number of drugs prescribed during the previous month and the number of drugs later found in Chua's home.

When Carter complained about his symptoms about six hours before his death, Chua should have hospitalized his patients, Jacobs said.

Jacobs is scheduled to continue his testimony after the court resumes at 1 p.m.