Physician Operating Savannah Weight-Loss Clinics Agrees to $100K Penalty For Controlled Substances Violations
Dr. Donald Lyle Gates, who operates weight-loss clinics under the name Scale Solutions in the Savannah area, has agreed to pay $100,000 in civil penalties and accept increased oversight to resolve allegations of violations related to the Controlled Substances Act.
The settlement was announced by Jill E. Steinberg, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia. As part of the agreement, Gates will maintain his DEA registrations to dispense controlled substances while complying with a two-year term of increased oversight by the DEA.
Gates operates Scale Solutions clinics in Savannah, Pooler, and Hinesville, Georgia, and previously operated a clinic in Bluffton, S.C. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the DEA alleged that Gates failed to maintain proper records for the prescription weight-loss drugs phentermine and phendimetrazine and dispensed these drugs in violation of the Controlled Substances Act.
DEA Diversion Investigators found that Gates’ offices lacked complete and accurate records for controlled substances, including inventories, receipts, distribution, and dispensation documents. Investigators also alleged that Gates transferred controlled substances to his home instead of keeping them at the registered locations.
The Controlled Substances Act establishes a system for tracking controlled substances from manufacture to end-user, allowing the DEA to monitor their flow. Inadequate recordkeeping can jeopardize this system and increase the risk of illegal diversion.
The civil settlement and Memorandum of Agreement do not constitute an admission of liability by Dr. Gates or a concession by the U.S. that its claims are unfounded.
Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, emphasized the importance of meticulous recordkeeping to prevent prescription drug abuse. The case was investigated by the DEA, and the settlement was negotiated by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradford C. Patrick.
