Lynn Webster's World of Pill Profits and Pain Clinics

The DEA has launched an investigation into deaths at Webster's pain clinic.

Lynn R. Webster MD photo: medscape.com

(MYRTLE BEACH, SC) - The definition of an untrained person who pretends to be a physician and dispenses medical advice and treatment is a "Quack".

Is Lynn R. Webster MD who the U.S. Senate and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is investigating for profiting off the pharmaceutical industry by pushing the use of lethal opioids a "Quack" to the max?

The U.S. Senate and the DEA know why Dr. Webster is of particular interest to them. First, Webster wrote a book entitled "Avoiding Opioid Abuse While Managing Pain - A Guide for Practitioners" wherein he is quoted as saying "Opioids offer safe, effective treatment for many chronic pain conditions and pose little risk of addiction for most patients who take them to control pain. However, some patients treated with opiods do display behaviors consistent with addiction." (Consistent with addiction? How about saying it the way it is -- addiction -- plain and simple -- and accurate).

A quote such as that made by Dr. Webster surely had to raise eyebrows in the U.S. Senate as an epidemic of death and addiction ravages every state in the country because physicians and pain societies funded by pharma downplayed the word "addiction" -- which led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and addictions.

According to recent findings by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of such opioid deaths increased fourfold in 11 years, from 4,030 in 1999 to 16,651 in 2010.

Webster's Lifetree Pain Clinic Raided by DEA

Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The DEA in the meantime became interested in Dr. Webster's Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City, Utah and raided the facility in 2010. Recently the DEA advised they have launched an investigation into deaths at Webster's pain clinic. Webster has been quoted as saying “I don’t think any of the deaths were for scripts I wrote. They were from staff.” It will be interesting to see if the DEA determines that the staff is truly to blame -- or is a quack?

Some of Dr. Webster cronies have rallied in support of him with regard to the DEA investigating this leading pain specialist known throughout the country. In fact, one colleague was quoted as saying “I’m just worried about Lynn. I hope he’s OK. He’s a wonderful guy and a wonderful colleague. I model myself after Lynn, as a lot of us do. I hope this whole thing doesn't’ hurt him too much.”

Funny that's what the surviving family members of victims of the downplaying of addiction think every day -- "I hope he's OK."

In the meantime, the U.S. Senate and the DEA may be interested in the clinical trials that are being conducted at Webster's Lifetree Pain Clinic as the clinic seeks volunteers. Bizarre studies? You be the judge.

Clinical Trials

Dr. Webster's pain clinic may have missed a couple of opportunities to do clinical studies on pertinent issues such as sociopaths and narcissistic behavior.  Not too late to add these categories to the volunteer clinical studies, Dr. Webster.  In the meantime, I would be curious as to what the U.S. Senate Finance Committee and DEA would be interested in signing up for.  Peanut allergies and wisdom teeth removal seems intriguing.

I wonder how many employees at Webster's pain clinic remained on staff after his blaming them for deaths at the clinic he founded, runs and is the only physician on staff. Rather than using the word "Quack" here -- maybe I should substitute the word "Chicken" and suggest the staff fly the coop -- cause this is toxic stuff here.

LP - Think Carly Simon ever sung "Little Bo Peep?" Bet you think this song is about you -- love you for the list which goes on and on -- and an angel looking down who shares our love.

Marianne Skolek twitter.com/MarianneSkolek
Investigative Reporter for Salem-News.com on drug epidemic
www.salem-news.com/by_author.php?reporter=Marianne%20Skolek
www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmPG1VjD61U&list=UUWoHUEr4ZAbQOfIqtOArjgg&index=6&feature=plcp
judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/testimony.cfm?id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394&wit_id=e655f9e2809e5476862f735da12c8394-2-1
www.vawd.uscourts.gov/PurdueFrederickCo/default.asp
www.oxydeaths.com908-285-1232

Salem-News.com Investigative Reporter Marianne Skolek, is an Activist for Victims of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma throughout the United States and Canada. In July 2007, she testified against Purdue Pharma in Federal Court in Virginia at the sentencing of their three CEO's - Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim - who pleaded guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients. She also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007. Marianne works with government agencies and private attorneys in having a voice for her daughter Jill, who died in 2002 after being prescribed OxyContin, as well as the voice for scores of victims of OxyContin. She has been involved in her work for the past 8-1/2 years and is currently working on a book that exposes Purdue Pharma for their continued criminal marketing of OxyContin.

Marianne is a nurse having graduated in 1991 as president of her graduating class. She also has a Paralegal certification. Marianne served on a Community Service Board for the Courier News, a Gannet newspaper in NJ writing articles predominantly regarding AIDS patients and their emotional issues. She was awarded a Community Service Award in 1993 by the Hunterdon County, NJ HIV/AIDS Task Force in recognition of and appreciation for the donated time, energy and love in facilitating a Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS.