[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5850-5851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3050]
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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Keith A. Lasko, M.D.; Revocation of Registration
On March 13, 1996, the Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), issued an
Order to Show Cause to Keith A. Lasko, MD., of Meridian, Mississippi,
proposing the revocation of his DEA Certificate of Registration
BL3109940 and denial of any pending applications for renewal of such
registration as a practitioner pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 824(a)(3), for the
reason that he is not currently authorized to handle controlled
substances in the State of Mississippi. The order also advised that
should no request for a hearing be filed within 30 days, his hearing
right would be deemed waived.
The Order to Show Cause was sent to Dr. Lasko by registered mail to
his DEA registered address, but was returned to DEA with the notation
``attempted, unkown''. DEA made numerous other attempts to locate Dr.
Lasko. Investigators determined through the American Medical
Association that he was not currently practicing in any of the other
states where he was licensed to practice medicine. A check of drivers'
license records in a number of states revealed that Dr. Lasko did not
have a current driver's license in any of those states. Earlier
attempts to deliver correspondence to Dr. Lasko at various locations
via registered mail were unsuccessful, and Dr. Lasko did not leave any
forwarding address.
The Acting Deputy Administrator finds that DEA has made numerous
attempts to locate Dr. Lasko and has determined that his whereabouts
are unknown. It is quite evident that Dr. Lasko is no longer practicing
medicine at the address listed on his DEA Certificate of Registration.
The Acting Deputy Administrator concludes that considerable effort has
been made to serve Dr. Lasko with the Order to Show Cause without
success. Dr. Lasko is therefore deemed to have waived his opportunity
for a hearing. The Acting Deputy Administrator now enters his final
order in this matter without a hearing and based on the investigative
file. 21 CFR 1301.54 and 1301.57.
The Acting Deputy Administrator finds that in June 1992, the
Medical Board of California filed an accusation against Dr. Lasko
alleging, among other things, that he excessively used diagnostic
procedures; that he committed acts of dishonesty in that he falsely
billed for diagnostic procedures; and that he created false medical
records. The Medical Board of California then entered a default
decision revoking Dr. Lasko's license to practice medicine in the State
of California effective January 22, 1992.
Subsequently, on July 24, 1992, the Mississippi State Board of
Medical Licensure (Board) issued a summons to Dr. Lasko ordering him to
appear before the Board and alleging that grounds exist to take action
against his license to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi
based upon the revocation of his California medical license. By letter
dated October 20, 1992, Dr. Lasko informed the Board that he no longer
wishes to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi and ``am hereby
revoking my Mississippi medical license.'' Thereafter, on November 23,
1992, the Board issued an Order Accepting Surrender of License finding
that Dr. Lasko's letter ``expresses a clear intent to surrender his
license to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi.'' A letter in
the investigative file dated February 16, 1996, from the Board states
that its records indicate that Dr. Lasko's license expired as of June
30, 1992. Consequently, the Acting Deputy Administrator finds that in
light of the foregoing, Dr. Lasko is not currently licensed to practice
medicine, nor authorized to handle controlled substances, in the State
of Mississippi.
The DEA does not have statutory authority under the Controlled
Substances Act to issue or maintain a registration if the applicant or
registrant is without state authority to handle controlled substances
in the state in which he conducts his business. 21 U.S.C. 802(21),
823(f), and 824(a)(3). This prerequisite has been consistently upheld.
See Earl G. Rozeboom, M.D., 61 FR 60,730 (1996); Charles L. Novosad,
Jr., M.D., 60 FR 47,182 (1995); Dominick A. Ricci, M.D., 58 FR 51,104
(1993). Here, Dr. Lasko is not currently licensed to practice medicine,
and therefore not authorized to handle controlled substances, in the
State of Mississippi. Hence, Dr. Lasko is not entitled to a DEA
registration.
Accordingly, the Acting Deputy Administrator of the Drug
Enforcement Administration, pursuant to the authority vested in him by
21 U.S.C. 823 and 824 and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104, hereby orders that
DEA Certificate of Registration BL3109940, previously issued to Keith
A. Lasko, M.D., be, and it hereby is, revoked. The Acting Deputy
Administrator further orders that any pending applications for renewal
of such registration be, and they hereby are, denied. This order is
effective March 10, 1997.
[[Page 5851]]
Dated: January 28, 1997.
James S. Milford,
Acting Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-3050 Filed 2-6-97; 8:45 am]
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