A Tucson eye surgeon has been indicted on charges she fraudulently obtained sleeping pills and an appetite-suppressing drug.
Melanie McCarty, 33, was indicted Tuesday by a Pima County Superior Court grand jury on four counts of obtaining a dangerous drug by fraudulent means, according to a Pima County Sheriff's Department news release.
McCarty is accused of filling out a prescription for herself for Lunesta and phentermine and then "falsifying a prescribing physician's name and credentials," according to the news release.
The Sheriff's Department and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration began investigating McCarty after a pharmacy became suspicious.
The Arizona Medical Board's Web site shows McCarty's license is still active, and her attorney, Walter Nash, said no restrictions have been placed upon her.
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No one is alleging McCarty is addicted to the drugs, sold them or was ever impaired by them, Nash said.
In fact, Nash said, he believes the issue will be resolved "pretty quick."
"These are medically appropriate prescriptions for her," Nash said. "There is an administrative issue about how the prescriptions were issued."
Roger Downey, media-relations officer for the Arizona Medical Board, could not comment specifically on McCarty's case.
Generally speaking, however, the board launches its own investigation whenever it learns of a doctor being accused of violating state law, Downey said.
In cases where a patient could be harmed, the investigation is placed on a fast track and the doctor's license could be suspended immediately, Downey said.
The board has a number of options available to it once an investigation determines a doctor has engaged in professional misconduct, Downey said.
The board can:
● Issue a non-disciplinary advisory letter.
● Issue a letter of reprimand.
● Issue a decree of censure.
● Place restrictions on the doctor, such as the ability to perform certain procedures, write prescriptions, etc.
● Suspend the doctor.
● Revoke the doctor's license.
McCarty is scheduled to make her initial appearance in Pima County Superior Court July 1, online records show.
