Sat, Nov 15, 2008 (2:07 a.m.)

A Henderson doctor whose history of writing prescriptions for staggering amounts of pills was documented in September by the Las Vegas Sun was finally disciplined Thursday.

The Nevada Medical Examiners Board stripped Dr. Kevin Buckwalter of his license to prescribe controlled substances. The board, which built its case against the doctor by examining patient records that were not mentioned in the Sun’s stories, alleged four cases of malpractice.

Following the medical board’s action, the Nevada State Pharmacy Board notified every drugstore in the state not to fill prescriptions for controlled substances written by Buckwalter.

Both boards acted properly Thursday. It is unfortunate, though, that the action took so long.

Authorities were alerted to Buckwalter in 2005 when the parents of a 26-year-old woman filed a complaint after she died of an overdose of drugs he prescribed. Although Buckwalter had been prescribing the woman more than 150 painkillers a month, and up to 300 extra-strength anxiety pills at a time, the medical board ruled there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

Sun reporter Marshall Allen began writing about Buckwalter in September. Using medical records provided by former Buckwalter patients or their families, Allen documented highly questionable prescriptions written by the doctor, including those that could be linked to three deaths.

Before Allen’s stories were published, four experts on prescription drugs, contacted by the Sun, reviewed the records. All expressed grave concern. For example, Dr. David Kloth, a prominent Connecticut physician, said it was stunning that the board had not disciplined Buckwalter. Dr. Andrea Trescot, a nationally known Florida specialist, told the Sun, “He (Buckwalter) needs to have an emergency revocation of his license.”

Also, Nevada Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, chairwoman of the Legislative Health Care Committee, told the Sun the Buckwalter situation reveals major flaws in Nevada’s system of overseeing doctors.

The Buckwalter case should motivate the 2009 Legislature to hold hearings on the medical board and write new laws that would require it to act quickly when evidence of malpractice is so strong.