A case of pentazocine addiction in a physician imposter at hospitals in three prefectures within the Tohoku region of Japan

• Published in: Nihon Kyukyu Igakukai Zasshi 2014/07/15, Vol.25(7), pp.307-312
• Main Authors: Onodera, Makoto, Koizumi, Noritaka, Fujino, Yasuhisa, Kikuchi, Satoshi, Inoue, Yoshihiro, Sakai, Akio, Endo, Shigeatsu
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; jpn
• Subjects: information sharing; medical association; psychiatric emergency medicine; risk management; workplace violence
• ISSN: 0915-924X; 1883-3772
• DOI: 10.3893/jjaam.25.307

A 30-year-old female with lower abdominal pain was transported to our hospital by ambulance. She claimed to be a physician, but refused to produce identification. We requested that Iwate Prefecture Medical Association fax other medical facilities with information about this suspected addict. She requested immediate pentazocine administration. Based on her medical history, she had received intravenous injections of diazepam and pentazocine each time she presented with abdominal pain at other hospitals within the Kanto region of Japan. A psychiatrist recommended against administering pentazocine due to the potential dependency. The patient fled our hospital after it was noted that she had used a pseudonym and a counterfeit ID card. Thirty minutes later, a hospital approximately 20 km from our hospital reported that pentazocine had been administered to the patient; however, she fled because the hospital received the warning fax from the Iwate Prefecture Medical Association. The patient had also sought care for the same symptoms at medical facilities in Miyagi and Akita prefectures. This case suggests that pentazocine should not be administered to patients with a suspected addiction, and sharing information between police and medical associations is important. A response manual for psychiatric emergency patients is needed at emergency medical institutions.