Death by Testosterone?

[Jinzang]

The DEA raided a clinic in Nederland, Texas prescribing testosterone and thyroid hormone to patients. According to the news article:

Federal agents allege that his prescriptions for testosterone and thyroid hormone put 12 patients at risk and may have contributed to two deaths.

The issue seems to be the licensing of Kevin Morgan, who ran the clinic, who:

"Acted outside his authorized scope of practice as a Family Nurse Practitioner, in that Respondent does not have sufficient formalized education and/or training in endocrinology to prescribe hormone therapy."

So it seems to be a turf battle between medical professionals, but I don't understand how the DEA got involved.

 

[FeelingLost]

snip...


So it seems to be a turf battle between medical professionals, but I don't understand how the DEA got involved.

DEA has listed testosterone as a schedule 3 controlled substance. That is probably why. This RN was dealing drugs in their eyes.

Schedule III​

Schedule III drugs, substances, or chemicals are defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less than Schedule I and Schedule II drugs but more than Schedule IV. Some examples of Schedule III drugs are:​

Products containing less than 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine), ketamine, anabolic steroids, testosterone
​

 

[cleverusername]

One patient "experienced cardiac arrest and died" after he was treated at Optimum, Lance wrote. "The cause of death was hypertensive cardiovascular disease with contributory cause chronic exogenous hormone therapy (not introduced by the body) and obesity."
The nursing board alleges Morgan prescribed testosterone and thyroid for the patient even when lab values showed normal levels and continued to prescribe high doses when the levels rose "above normal limits." Another unnamed patient, referred to as Patient 3, died three days after being admitted to a hospital for respiratory failure and unresponsiveness, according to the charges. The board alleges that bloodwork indicated the death may have resulted from testosterone supplementation.
Patient 4 was treated for testosterone poisoning after being prescribed the male hormone by Morgan, Lance wrote. After going to Optimum, several patients sought treatment from other facilities, where their dosages were reduced, the charges said.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/n...-Nederland-nurse-put-patients-at-12308178.php


What is death by testosterone supplementation?

 

[Jinzang]

I've only heard the term "testosterone poisoning" used in a figurative sense. This is the first time I've seen it used literally. According to Yahoo Answers, the lethal dose of testosterone is approximately 1 g/kg.