Report Links Physician-Prescribed Drugs to Deaths in Southern Calif.

Nearly half of the accidental deaths from prescription drugs in four Southern California counties from 2006 through 2011  involved a drug prescribed by a physician, according to analysis by the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Details of the Analysis

The Times analyzed cause-of-death findings from coroners' offices and identified 3,733 deaths from prescription drugs during that time. The deaths occurred in:

• Los Angeles;
• Orange;
• San Diego; and
• Ventura counties.

Main Findings

The analysis found that in 1,762 -- or 47% -- of the deaths, a drug prescribed by a physician was the sole cause or a contributing cause of death.

The Times also found that 71 -- or 0.1% -- of all practicing physicians in the four counties were associated with a disproportionate number of fatal prescription overdoses. Those 71 doctors were linked to 298 -- or 17% -- of the total deaths studied.

Implications

Experts say that the results of the analysis should prompt closer scrutiny of physicians and their prescribing policies.