Dr. Donald Siao, a 58-year old family medicine doctor in San Jose, California, was recently convicted of twelve counts of illegally distributing Oxycodone and Hydrocodone outside of the usual course of his professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose according to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Siao's conviction follows a one-week trial in which the jury found him guilty, at a time when the nation struggles with a widely publicized ongoing opioid epidemic and the role played by pharamceutical companies and certain medical professionals in contributing to it.

The investigation into Dr. Siao began in May 2017 when the California Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (BMFEA) identified him as a high prescriber of 30 mg oxycodone, after reviewing the California Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) data, as Hoodline discovered in a Federal criminal complaint. Between May 2016 to May 2017, Siao had written 8,201 prescriptions for controlled substance medications, drawing attention from investigators. Undercover agents posing as patients subsequently visited Siao's practice, receiving prescriptions during seventeen visits for vague pain or discomfort, and sometimes even requesting specific opioids by name.

Evidence presented at the trial revealed Siao's prescriptions of dangerous opioids to a mother and son, E.J. and A.J., despite clear red flags, according to the DOJ. Siao continued to prescribe opioids to E.J. after she repeatedly claimed her pills had been lost or stolen and even after being advised that E.J. was jailed for selling pills. Similarly, Siao prescribed opioids to A.J. after he had overdosed twice, and even after A.J.'s mother, E.J., fatally overdosed on opioids.

Siao was not just engaged in excessive prescribing practices, but also demonstrated a consistent disregard for the well-being of his patients. Throughout the investigation, Siao refused to heed warnings about the dangers of his prescriptions. Although Siao was aware that the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) closely scrutinized opioid prescriptions and that the country was witnessing a devastating opioid crisis, he continued to prescribe opioids to undercover agents with little to no physical examination, sometimes after very brief visits. This pattern persisted even after law enforcement agents interviewed Siao in November 2018 about his prescribing practices, and he admitted being aware of the California Medical Board's Guidelines for Prescribing Controlled Substances for Pain.

In addition to his family medicine practice, Dr. Siao held various other positions in the healthcare sector. His LinkedIn profile lists him as the Chief Medical Officer and Board Member of the California Independent Physicians Association, the president of Integrated Molecular Diagnostics Pathology, and the founder and CEO of both Silver Creek Radiology and Allied Medical Management Partners. Dr. Siao is also the medical director and owner of Body Balance Weight Loss with offices in both Fremont and San Jose.