Home business of Christensen witness raided

HAMILTON — As the star defense witness testified Monday in Dr. Chris Christensen’s negligent homicide and drug distributing trial, a search warrant was issued for the witness’ home and business.

Federal agents were seeking controlled substances, including but not limited to fentanyl, oxycodone and hydrocodone at the home and business of Dr. Forest Tennant, a renowned pain clinic operator. Agents also were able to collect documents involving prescribed or dispensed opioids, including medical records, patient files and billing information, among other items.

On Monday, Tennant testified that while Christensen was in over his head when the general practitioner was treating patients for chronic pain, he was in compliance with generally accepted standards. A jury currently is deliberating whether Christensen is guilty of negligent homicide for the death of two of his patients to whom he prescribed opioids and died from overdoses. He’s also charged with distribution of dangerous drugs and criminal endangerment.

Court recessed Friday without a verdict, and jurors will resume deliberations Monday.

On Friday, Christensen’s attorney said the timing of the search warrant “obviously doesn’t seem to me like a coincidence.”

“I find it to be highly disturbing he has been searched at all,” said Josh Van de Wetering. “Quite frankly, I’m not sure what to make of it. It’s scary.”

Tennant has operated pain clinics in California since 1975. He’s an internist and “addictionologist” who specializes in the research and treatment of intractable pain. He’s written more than 300 scientific articles and books — including the “Pain Patient’s Bill of Rights” and served as a consultant to the Drug Enforcement Administration, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The search warrant, which was executed Wednesday, was for United Pharmacy in Los Angeles, two of Tennant’s offices and his home in West Covina, California as well as the Beverly Hills home of Farid Pourmorady, the United pharmacist.

Tennant’s voice mail is full at his office, and he didn’t return an email seeking comment.

Accusations in the search warrant are similar to the allegations involving Christensen — that he over-prescribed opiates and other drugs, often at the maximum strength available, and in dangerous combinations that could prove deadly. Tennant also is being investigated for “speaker fees” that he was paid by drug manufacturers, which allegedly were “kickbacks” in exchange for prescribing their products, and Medicare fraud.

The search warrant was sought by Stephanie Kolb, who works as a diversion investigator for the USDEA. Kolb noted that she has been involved in several investigations involving “the illegal trafficking of pharmaceutical controlled substances by medical doctors … and the illegal diversion of pharmaceutical controlled substances.” She also has participated in the federal prosecution of physicians, physician assistants and pharmacists.

Kolb wrote that investigators believe United, Tennant and various medical practitioners are “profiting from the illicit diversion of controlled substances, including the powerful narcotic fentanyl, which are prescribed and dispensed other than for a legitimate medical purpose.”

She said Tennant prescribed fentanyl drugs to non-cancer patients, “even though the drugs prescribed are for use in treatment of breakthrough cancer pain,” and that he is involved in fraudulent Medicare prescription drug claims. She also wrote that both Tennant and United are implicated in a federal investigation in Massachusetts, which has resulted in federal indictments.

Jessica Tonner is a Ravalli County resident who is a patient of Tennant. He diagnosed her with arachnoiditis, which is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the spinal cord. It’s a painful condition that includes severe cramps, muscle spasm and stinging sensations; she believes it was from injuries suffered in auto accidents, and their subsequent treatments, with cortisone injections into her spinal area.

“I had been to every specialist between here and Kalispell, and no one could give me a diagnosis,” Tonner said. “I began seeing Dr. Tennant a year ago last summer, and he was able to tell me what was wrong and gave me ways to get better.”

Prior to seeing Tennant, Tonner said she was bedridden. Under his care, using a wide range of therapies, including oral steroids, hormones, anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids, she’s able to move around much better.

“It’s not just pain control but he is treating the disease,” she said. “He doesn’t particularly like opioids, but knows that people with intractable pain need them.”

She worries now who will treat her pain. According to the search warrant, a patient whose medical information has been seized under the search warrant may request that a copy of their records be returned to the patient, in order to minimize disruption to the legitimate medical needs of the patient.

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