The state of Kentucky has suspended the medical license of a Danville psychiatrist, as officials investigate allegations that at least 12 of his patients in eastern Kentucky died of drug overdoses in the past year.
The state Board Of Medical Licensure issued an emergency order of suspension for Dr. Melborne Williams. It prohibits him from "performing any act which constitutes the practice of medicine."
The Advocate-Messenger is reporting that Williams allegedly overprescribed Xanax and other prescription medications. The suspension order says at least one dozen patients in Clay County have died of overdoses on drugs prescribed by Williams.
It says Williams prescribed more than 1.3 million Xanax tablets on 12,622 separate prescriptions between April 2011 and March of this year, making him the leading prescriber of that medication in Kentucky.
