Potosi doctor found guilty in prescribed drug case

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A federal jury on Thursday convicted a Potosi doctor of filing false claims to Medicaid and over-prescribing medicines to his patients.

The jury found that Dr. Seth Paskon prescribed drugs outside the usual course of medical practice or without a legitimate medical purpose.

Paskon was also convicted of submitting false claims to Medicaid for reimbursement of pain relief and anti-anxiety drugs he prescribed his patients.

U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway said many of Paskon's patients had substance abuse problems.

Court documents and testimony at trial showed Paskon had a history of problems with the Missouri State Board of Registration for the Healing Arts and the Missouri Medicaid program and was warned about his use of powerful prescription drugs.

Three of his patients received large amounts of powerful drugs and died. A former patient testified he provided her with large amounts of prescription drugs while she was pregnant. Both the woman and her infant had high levels of drugs in their blood at delivery.

Hanaway said the court has not yet decided on fines and penalties or the government's request to restrict Paskon's future ability to prescribe drugs.