Feds sue psychiatrist for prescribing risky drug clozapine

Federal authorities this week sued a Chicago psychiatrist accusing him of taking kickbacks from drug companies and committing fraud by prescribing antipsychotic medications for thousands of mentally ill patients in nursng homes. The suit against Dr. Michael Reinstein represents the largest civil case alleging prescription medication fraud. Authorities say that Reinstein submitted over 140,000 false claims to Medicare and Medicaid for antipsychotic meds based on the kickbacks he received from the pharma companies and not based on the medical needs of the patients. according to the suit, he prescribed Clozapine to hundreds of patients. Studies show the drug has significant side effects including enlargement of the heart and increase seizure risk.