Oklahoma City Physician Pays $165,000 to Settle Civil Penalty Claims Stemming from his Alleged Issuance of Invalid Prescriptions for Schedule III Controlled Substances

OKLAHOMA CITY – Tuan Alex Nguyen, M.D. (“Dr. Nguyen”), paid $165,000 to settle civil penalty claims stemming from allegations he violated the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 (“Act”) and its regulations, announced United States Attorney Robert J. Troester.

During the relevant time, Dr. Nguyen was licensed and practiced medicine in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Practitioners prescribing controlled substances must be registered under the Act and meet the applicable Act requirements. Among other things, when issuing a prescription for a controlled substance, the Act requires the practitioner be authorized to prescribe that substance by the jurisdiction in which he or she is licensed to practice.

The United States alleges that from November 2022 to September 2023, Dr. Nguyen issued prescriptions in the state of Oklahoma for Schedule III Controlled Substances without the required certificate of registration from the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. To resolve these allegations, Dr. Nguyen agreed to pay $165,000 to the United States.

In reaching this settlement, Dr. Nguyen did not admit liability, and the government did not make any concessions about the legitimacy of the claims. The agreement allows the parties to avoid the delay, expense, inconvenience, and uncertainty involved in litigating the case.

This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Office of Diversion Control. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda R. Johnson and Ronald R. Gallegos prosecuted the case.