Judge Upholds Suspension of Doctor’s License

Rejecting the appeal of an Oxnard physician, a state judge left in place Monday an order temporarily banning the doctor from practice for allegedly overprescribing addictive narcotics to his patients.

State Administrative Law Judge Jaime Rene Roman upheld a temporary suspension of Dr. Michael Huff’s medical license, saying:

“His self-possessed demeanor and self-characterizations of medical import relating to continuing patient care demonstrates little comprehension into the danger he posed and continues to pose to patients if no intervention is effected.”

Roman found that Huff’s lack of record-keeping and overreliance on his personal knowledge in areas where he is not a specialist “calls into equal scrutiny” how he treats patients who do not need pain medications.

The suspension was sought by the California Medical Board in conjunction with the state attorney general’s Health Quality Enforcement office.

Several administrative and criminal probes into Huff’s prescribing practices are underway.

Huff could not be reached for comment late Monday. A recording on the doctor’s office telephone told patients that his medical license had been suspended “because of my care of chronic-pain patients.”

A replacement physician will be in his office this week, Huff’s message said. It also told patients they could obtain refills of prescriptions by going to an emergency room or urgent care center.

“Thank you for your support, and I hope this has not inconvenienced you too much,” the message also said.

Huff, in testimony at an April 10 appeal hearing, said he had rendered appropriate care and treatment to patients and poses no danger to them. But he also has acknowledged prescribing dosages greater than recommended by manufacturers.

Attorney James Farley, who represents Huff in the criminal inquiry, said the ruling underscores the medical profession’s lack of sophistication about pain management therapy.

“The traditional medical community has no understanding of the use of the narcotics, and therefore he’s being condemned,” Farley said. “There’s a very strong prejudice against those engaged in the practice.”

In issuing Monday’s new suspension order, Roman said cause exists to prohibit the doctor’s practice of medicine, at least for now.

“Although his counsel repeatedly notes that no patient has died, it is not incumbent on this tribunal to await such an outcome “

Roman also ruled, however, that Huff can resume a limited practice after he meets several strict conditions. They include surrendering his Drug Enforcement Administration permit and a prohibition on his practice of pain management or addiction medicine. Huff must also pass an exam on family practice medicine, the ruling states. He must be monitored by another physician in his field and is prohibited from engaging in medicine as a sole practitioner.

The California Medical Board is continuing its investigation into the doctor and could bring a formal accusation against him. That proceeding could result in Huff’s medical license being permanently revoked.

Meanwhile, investigators with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Drug Task Force are conducting a criminal investigation.

Sheriff’s Deputy Victor Fazio alleged in affidavits that Huff had prescribed so many powerful opiates that he should have known some would end up on the street.

Fazio said the drugs prescribed by Huff included methadone, Vicodin and OxyContin, a potentially lethal opiate that has become popular with teenagers, documents state.