[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 69 (Monday, April 11, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 20010-20011]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-8535]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Drug Enforcement Administration


Layfe Robert Anthony, M.D.; Denial of Application

    On December 3, 2009, the Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration, issued an Order to 
Show Cause to Layfe Robert Anthony, M.D. (Respondent), of Salt Lake 
City, Utah. The Show Cause Order proposed the revocation of 
Respondent's DEA Certificate of Registration, BA8835449, and the denial 
of any pending applications to renew or modify the registration, on the 
ground that because of actions taken by the Utah Division of 
Occupational and Professional Licensing, he lacks ``authority to 
practice medicine or handle controlled substances in the State of 
Utah,'' the State in which he is registered. Show Cause Order at 1 
(citing 21 U.S.C. 824(a)(3)). The Show Cause Order also notified 
Respondent of his right to request a hearing or to submit a written 
statement in lieu of a hearing, the procedures for doing so, and the 
consequences for his failing to do so. Id. at 2 (citing 21 CFR 1301.43 
& 1316.47).
    On December 14, 2009, the Show Cause Order was served on Respondent 
by certified mail addressed to him at his registered location. Since 
that date, more than thirty days have passed and neither Respondent, 
nor anyone purporting to represent him, has requested a hearing or 
submitted a written statement. 21 CFR 1301.43(b) & (c). Accordingly, I 
conclude that Respondent has waived his right to a hearing and issue 
this Final Order based on the evidence contained in the investigative 
record. 21 CFR 1301.43(d) & (e).
    Respondent held DEA registration, BA8835449, which authorized him 
to dispense controlled substances in schedules II through V as a 
practitioner. According to the Agency's registration records, 
Respondent's registration expired on June 30, 2007, and Respondent did 
not submit his renewal application until July 2, 2007. Moreover, the 
Agency did not automatically renew his registration.
    Under 5 U.S.C. 558(c), ``[w]hen the licensee has made timely and 
sufficient application for a renewal or a new license in accordance 
with agency rules, a license with reference to an activity of a 
continuing nature does not expire until the application has been 
finally determined by the agency.'' Based on this provision, the 
Government maintains that his registration has continued in effect.\1\ 
It has not. However, an application remains pending before the Agency.
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    \1\ The Government did not explain the basis for its position 
that an application filed after a registration expires is 
nonetheless timely.
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    On January 28, 2009, the Utah Department of Commerce, Division of 
Occupational and Professional Licensing (DOPL), revoked his ``licenses 
to practice as a physician/surgeon and to administer and prescribe 
controlled substances.'' Order, In re Layfe Robert Anthony, M.D., No. 
DOPL-OSC-2001-70 (Utah Div. Occ. & Prof. Lic. Jan. 28, 2009).\2\ 
Accordingly, Respondent lacks

[[Page 20011]]

authority to dispense controlled substances in Utah, the State in which 
he holds his DEA registration.
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    \2\ The Order was based on a recommended decision of a three-
member panel designated by the Director of the DOPL to act as the 
presiding officer in the proceeding. The panel's findings included, 
inter alia, that: 1) Respondent had ``stored controlled substances 
[Versed and Provigil] * * * in his personal vehicle,'' as well as 
``41 prescription pads which contained multiple blank prescriptions 
that had been presigned by other physicians'' at a clinic he was no 
longer affiliated with, id. at 9, 11-12, 16-17; that he had failed 
to comply with a previous state order that he ``submit a triplicate 
copy'' of a controlled substance prescription (for testosterone, a 
schedule III steroid) for review by the Division, id. at 21-22; that 
he had committed unprofessional conduct when he advised A.S. to 
administer to her son a controlled substance (Klonopin) which he had 
prescribed to her, id. at 21, 23-24; and that he had violated 
section 58-37-6(7)(o) of the Utah Controlled Substances Act by 
issuing controlled substance prescriptions ``on forms which falsely 
identified his address.'' Id. at 21 & 24.
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    The Controlled Substances Act defines the ``[t]he term 
`practitioner' [to] mean[] a physician * * * licensed, registered, or 
otherwise permitted, by the United States or the jurisdiction in which 
he practice * * * to distribute, dispense, [or] administer * * * a 
controlled substance in the course of professional practice or 
research.'' 21 U.S.C. 802(21). Moreover, under 21 U.S.C. 823(f), 
``[t]he Attorney General shall register practitioners * * * to dispense 
* * * controlled substances * * * if the applicant is authorized to 
dispense * * * controlled substances under the laws of the State in 
which he practices.'' DEA has therefore repeatedly held that holding 
state authority is an essential requirement for obtaining a 
registration and maintaining an existing one. See David W. Wang, 72 FR 
54297, 54298 (2007); Sheran Arden Yeates, 71 FR 39130, 39131 (2006); 
Dominick A. Ricci, 58 FR 51104, 51105 (1993); Bobby Watts, 53 FR 11919, 
11920 (1988); see also 21 U.S.C. 824(a)(3) (authorizing revocation 
``upon a finding that the registrant * * * has had his State license or 
registration suspended, revoked, or denied by competent State authority 
and is no longer authorized by State law to engage in the * * * 
dispensing of controlled substances'').
    As the Final Order of the Utah DOPL makes clear, Respondent does 
not possess authority under Utah law to dispense controlled substances. 
Because he does not meet this requirement, his application will be 
denied. See 21 U.S.C. 823(f).

Order

    Pursuant to the authority vested in me by 21 U.S.C. 823(f), as well 
as 28 CFR 0.100(b) & 0.104, I order that the application of Layfe 
Robert Anthony, M.D., for a DEA Certificate of Registration as a 
practitioner be, and it hereby is, denied. This Order is effective May 
11, 2011.

    Dated: April 1, 2011.
Michele M. Leonhart,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-8535 Filed 4-8-11; 8:45 am]
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