She was a pain specialist to top athletes. Her opioid prescribing alarmed the DEA
- Joan Rubinger, a nurse practitioner and pain specialist who worked with elite athletes including NBA stars Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade, was accused by the DEA of dispensing thousands of illegal opioid prescriptions over a four-year period.
- Federal authorities alleged Rubinger prescribed 260,000 pills containing controlled substances to patients in more than 20 states, expanding from professional athletes to street gang members, drug traffickers, and other clients.
- Rubinger agreed in March 2024 to pay $1.4 million to settle a Justice Department civil complaint without admitting wrongdoing, and the DEA revoked her ability to prescribe opioids last month.
- Court records show Rubinger coached clients via encrypted messaging on ways to avoid having prescriptions flagged by pharmacies, and allegedly took steps to avert DEA suspicion.
- Former All-Pro Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis received over 13,000 oxycodone and Percocet pills from Rubinger between November 2019 and March 2024, with his wife alerting authorities to her activities.
Joan Rubinger, a nurse practitioner who overcame paralysis from a biking accident to become a prominent pain specialist for elite athletes, faced serious allegations from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Her website claimed to have treated 169 NFL Pro Bowl selections, 29 NBA and WNBA champions, and 15 Olympic medalists, including notable patients like Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade.
However, federal authorities alleged that Rubinger operated a scheme to illegally distribute highly addictive painkillers. Over four years, she allegedly prescribed 260,000 pills containing controlled substances to patients across more than 20 states. The DEA described her conduct as "covert and slinking," noting the scheme expanded from professional athletes to include street gang members, drug traffickers, and other clients. Rubinger allegedly coached clients through encrypted messaging on how to avoid pharmacy detection systems.
In March 2024, Rubinger agreed to pay $1.4 million to settle a Justice Department civil complaint without admitting wrongdoing. The DEA subsequently revoked her opioid prescribing privileges. Court records unsealed at the AP's request revealed that former Carolina Panthers linebacker Thomas Davis received over 13,000 oxycodone and Percocet pills from Rubinger between November 2019 and March 2024, with his wife alerting authorities to her activities.
她是顶级运动员的疼痛专科医生 她的阿片类药物处方引起DEA警惕
护士执业者琼·鲁宾格曾因自行车事故导致瘫痪，后来克服困难成为精英运动员的知名疼痛专科医生。她的网站声称曾治疗过169名NFL职业碗选手、29名NBA和WNBA冠军以及15名奥运奖牌获得者，包括科比·布莱恩特和德韦恩·韦德等著名患者。
然而，美国缉毒局指控鲁宾格运营一个非法分发高度成瘾性止痛药的计划。在四年期间，她据称向20多个州的患者配发26万粒含有管制物质的药丸。DEA将其行为描述为"隐蔽狡猾的"，指出该计划从职业运动员扩展到包括街头帮派成员、毒品贩运者和其他客户。鲁宾格据称通过加密消息应用指导客户如何规避药房检测系统。
2024年3月，鲁宾格同意支付140万美元以和解司法部民事诉讼，未承认不当行为。美国缉毒局随后撤销了她的阿片类药物处方权。应美联社要求公开的法庭记录显示，前卡罗来纳黑豹队线卫托马斯·戴维斯在2019年11月至2024年3月期间从鲁宾格处获得超过13000粒羟考酮和普渡蓝药丸，其妻子向当局举报了她的活动。