The Medical Board of California has given Dr. David Jee Wei Chao, former Chargers physician, four years of probation. In April of last year, the board accused the doctor of repeated negligent acts, unprofessional conduct, failure to keep accurate records, and other matters.
Chao was a close friend of late Chargers star Junior Seau as well as his physician. Seau committed suicide in 2012, and it was later determined that he had suffered chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a severe kind of brain injury, as a result of his two decades of professional football.
In the past year and a half of Seau's life, Chao had written him 14 prescriptions for Ambien, a controlled substance that can worsen the effects of depression and suicidal thoughts, the board noted. Chao had declared that Seau was free of depression or psychological issues one week before the player killed himself.
The board said that Chao cannot prescribe Ambien during his probationary period. He also has to take courses in prescribing procedures, medical record-keeping, and ethics. The board issued a reprimand against Chao in 2012 and put him on five-year probation two years later.
The Medical Board of California has given Dr. David Jee Wei Chao, former Chargers physician, four years of probation. In April of last year, the board accused the doctor of repeated negligent acts, unprofessional conduct, failure to keep accurate records, and other matters.
Chao was a close friend of late Chargers star Junior Seau as well as his physician. Seau committed suicide in 2012, and it was later determined that he had suffered chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a severe kind of brain injury, as a result of his two decades of professional football.
In the past year and a half of Seau's life, Chao had written him 14 prescriptions for Ambien, a controlled substance that can worsen the effects of depression and suicidal thoughts, the board noted. Chao had declared that Seau was free of depression or psychological issues one week before the player killed himself.
The board said that Chao cannot prescribe Ambien during his probationary period. He also has to take courses in prescribing procedures, medical record-keeping, and ethics. The board issued a reprimand against Chao in 2012 and put him on five-year probation two years later.
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