The Los Angeles Times reports that Dr. Van Vu of Huntington Beach, already under fire for the fatal prescription drug-related overdoses of more than a dozen of his patients, has lost yet another patient to an overdose. Wayne Oviatt, 56, who died in January 2013, is the 17th patient to overdose on medication prescribed by Dr. Vu.
Dr. Vu, a board-certified medical doctor specializing in pain management, stated in an interview that he was unaware of many of his patients’ deaths. He also claimed that he vigilantly monitors his patients to ensure that they are not using illegal drugs or obtaining prescription medications from other physicians. However, Oviatt’s family claims that they repeatedly contacted Dr. Vu’s office to request that Oviatt’s prescriptions be cut off due to his drug abuse. Their requests were dismissed and ignored.
Following the media scrutiny due to a profile of the doctor by the Los Angeles Times in November 2012, the state Medical Board launched an investigation; however, there are currently no restrictions on Dr. Vu’s practice. The board’s inquiry is ongoing.
If you or a loved one have suffered from injury or death due to improperly prescribed prescription drugs, contact the medical malpractice attorneys at Hodes Milman to learn about your legal options.
