[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 26 (Friday, February 7, 1997)]
[Notices]
[Pages 5850-5851]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-3050]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Keith A. Lasko, M.D.; Revocation of Registration

    On March 13, 1996, the Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), issued an 
Order to Show Cause to Keith A. Lasko, MD., of Meridian, Mississippi, 
proposing the revocation of his DEA Certificate of Registration 
BL3109940 and denial of any pending applications for renewal of such 
registration as a practitioner pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 824(a)(3), for the 
reason that he is not currently authorized to handle controlled 
substances in the State of Mississippi. The order also advised that 
should no request for a hearing be filed within 30 days, his hearing 
right would be deemed waived.
    The Order to Show Cause was sent to Dr. Lasko by registered mail to 
his DEA registered address, but was returned to DEA with the notation 
``attempted, unkown''. DEA made numerous other attempts to locate Dr. 
Lasko. Investigators determined through the American Medical 
Association that he was not currently practicing in any of the other 
states where he was licensed to practice medicine. A check of drivers' 
license records in a number of states revealed that Dr. Lasko did not 
have a current driver's license in any of those states. Earlier 
attempts to deliver correspondence to Dr. Lasko at various locations 
via registered mail were unsuccessful, and Dr. Lasko did not leave any 
forwarding address.
    The Acting Deputy Administrator finds that DEA has made numerous 
attempts to locate Dr. Lasko and has determined that his whereabouts 
are unknown. It is quite evident that Dr. Lasko is no longer practicing 
medicine at the address listed on his DEA Certificate of Registration. 
The Acting Deputy Administrator concludes that considerable effort has 
been made to serve Dr. Lasko with the Order to Show Cause without 
success. Dr. Lasko is therefore deemed to have waived his opportunity 
for a hearing. The Acting Deputy Administrator now enters his final 
order in this matter without a hearing and based on the investigative 
file. 21 CFR 1301.54 and 1301.57.
    The Acting Deputy Administrator finds that in June 1992, the 
Medical Board of California filed an accusation against Dr. Lasko 
alleging, among other things, that he excessively used diagnostic 
procedures; that he committed acts of dishonesty in that he falsely 
billed for diagnostic procedures; and that he created false medical 
records. The Medical Board of California then entered a default 
decision revoking Dr. Lasko's license to practice medicine in the State 
of California effective January 22, 1992.
    Subsequently, on July 24, 1992, the Mississippi State Board of 
Medical Licensure (Board) issued a summons to Dr. Lasko ordering him to 
appear before the Board and alleging that grounds exist to take action 
against his license to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi 
based upon the revocation of his California medical license. By letter 
dated October 20, 1992, Dr. Lasko informed the Board that he no longer 
wishes to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi and ``am hereby 
revoking my Mississippi medical license.'' Thereafter, on November 23, 
1992, the Board issued an Order Accepting Surrender of License finding 
that Dr. Lasko's letter ``expresses a clear intent to surrender his 
license to practice medicine in the State of Mississippi.'' A letter in 
the investigative file dated February 16, 1996, from the Board states 
that its records indicate that Dr. Lasko's license expired as of June 
30, 1992. Consequently, the Acting Deputy Administrator finds that in 
light of the foregoing, Dr. Lasko is not currently licensed to practice 
medicine, nor authorized to handle controlled substances, in the State 
of Mississippi.
    The DEA does not have statutory authority under the Controlled 
Substances Act to issue or maintain a registration if the applicant or 
registrant is without state authority to handle controlled substances 
in the state in which he conducts his business. 21 U.S.C. 802(21), 
823(f), and 824(a)(3). This prerequisite has been consistently upheld. 
See Earl G. Rozeboom, M.D., 61 FR 60,730 (1996); Charles L. Novosad, 
Jr., M.D., 60 FR 47,182 (1995); Dominick A. Ricci, M.D., 58 FR 51,104 
(1993). Here, Dr. Lasko is not currently licensed to practice medicine, 
and therefore not authorized to handle controlled substances, in the 
State of Mississippi. Hence, Dr. Lasko is not entitled to a DEA 
registration.
    Accordingly, the Acting Deputy Administrator of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration, pursuant to the authority vested in him by 
21 U.S.C. 823 and 824 and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104, hereby orders that 
DEA Certificate of Registration BL3109940, previously issued to Keith 
A. Lasko, M.D., be, and it hereby is, revoked. The Acting Deputy 
Administrator further orders that any pending applications for renewal 
of such registration be, and they hereby are, denied. This order is 
effective March 10, 1997.


[[Page 5851]]


    Dated: January 28, 1997.
James S. Milford,
Acting Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 97-3050 Filed 2-6-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4410-09-M