Physician's Assistant Linked to Oxycodone Overdose Death

By Elizabeth Rhein

Published on September 06, 2006

The sheriff’s office has arrested Sally Jane Medina, 45, in connection with Fulford’s death. Authorities allege that the woman wrote the 33-year-old man prescriptions for oxycodone, Xanax, and Percocet. There were no medical records on file that showed Fulford had any need for such powerful pain and anti-anxiety medications.

Medina’s arrest marks the first time authorities have been able to directly link a patient’s death to employees at the Doctors Urgent Care Clinic in St. Petersburg. The clinic is the subject of an ongoing investigation, as is the G & H Pharmacy in nearby Pinellas Park. Both businesses have long been suspected of enabling prescription drug abuse among their customers.

In May, detectives were able to receive and fill prescriptions for narcotics without displaying any symptoms that would justify the use of such medications. As a result of that sting operation, six employees at the Doctors Urgent Care Clinic were arrested.

Local authorities hope the current set of investigations will help to reduce the number of prescription drug abuse-related deaths in Pinellas and Pasco counties. In 2005, more than 200 people in the two counties died due to prescription drug overdoses.

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