A Doctor who operated a medical clinic in San Fernando was found guilty on May 6, 2009, of federal narcotics charges for writing prescriptions for the addictive and extremly powerful painkiller oxycodone for people he did not examine in exchange for as much as $300.

Masoud Bamdad, 55, of Granada Hills, was convicted of 13 felony counts for writing prescriptions for oxycodone outside of the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose.

As part of the investigation into Bamdad, DEA agents conducted undercover operations in which they posed as people seeking drugs. In encounters captured on undercover videotape that was shown to the jury, Bamdad wrote prescriptions after brief visits, calling one undercover agent a drug addict and receiving cash payments that he simply put into his pocket. During the undercover meetings, Bamdad either did not examine or made only cursory examinations of the undercover agents, nor did he take thorough medical histories from them.

“Doctors have a important responsibility to ensure that their patients receive the best medical treatment,” said United States Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien. “Dr. Bamdad scorned this basic principal by writing prescriptions to people who clearly were addicted to powerful narcotics or who were simply seeking a way to get high.”

Oxycontin addiction is a growing problem that rehabilitation and treatment centers are being forced to address. Sober Living by the Sea is a network of drug treatment centers in Newport Beach California that has been treating chemical dependency for almost 25 years.  In recent years, the epidemic of OxyContin addiction and the subsequent heroin overdoses has led to a new program specifically targeting OxyContin use by young adults.
 
“Accidental drug overdose deaths are on the rise – mainly because of the epidemic of prescription drugs being abused exponentially more often,” says drug addiction blogger Mike H from Sober Living by the Sea, “the deaths that we are reading about in the news are sometimes from a prescription drug (like OxyContin, Percocet, or Vicodin), but more commonly from a combination of two or more drugs or mixing a drug like OxyContin and alcohol.”
 
Even the rise in heroin overdose fatalities can be tied to drugs OxyContin.  It is very common for young adults to become physically and mentally dependent on OxyContin which is much more expensive and difficult to obtain than heroin.  Once they can no longer afford OxyContin or locate a supplier, the cravings and withdrawal symptoms can be severe enough to get them to try heroin. 
 
The OxyContin addiction treatment program at Sober Living by the Sea has been created to meet the special needs of people who are hooked on “OCs” or other opiates.  There is a special safe and comfortable drug detoxification program that will last a few days.  Drugs like Suboxone or Vivitrol may be used to minimize cravings in early sobriety.