WWE’s John Cena interviewed Christopher Bell, the director of the steroid documentary ‘Bigger Stronger Faster*’ about the hypocrisy of anabolic steroid laws. Cena asked about anabolic steroids when compared and contrasted with legal, acceptable drugs that are more addictive and harmful than steroids. Chris Bell offered an excellent response criticizing the demonization of steroids suggesting that society has “deemed steroids immoral simply because they are illegal” (”Cena talks to ‘Bigger, Stronger, Faster*’ creator,” October 12).

Cena: Why do you think the government is drawing the line on what is acceptable and what is not, because I remember your first film – Billy Jones – which is short film about nicotine addiction, which is also an acceptable, buy-over-the-counter addictive substance. There are substances like caffeine. Then on the other side, you have illegal substances, like marijuana, like anabolic steroids, even all these recreational drugs. Why do you think the line has been drawn where some are OK, and some aren’t, when all of them have been shown to increase addictive behavior, or possibly, in excess, harm a human being?

Bell: You saw what happened when they tried prohibition back in the ’30s. It didn’t work. People wanted alcohol so they found a way to get it. Unfortunately, our country was founded on tobacco and slavery. That’s one of the most unfortunate things in the history of our country. It’s something that has so much money involved in it. It’s something that’s so ingrained in our society and our culture. It’s a drug that kills 435,000 Americans a year. Alcohol kills 75,000 Americans every year. Deaths related to anabolic steroids – according to the Centers for Disease Control – are three people a year on average. You’re basically looking at those numbers, and go, “Yeah, three people is too many any time.” But what about the 435,000 people who are dropping dead from cigarettes? You never deem anything immoral simply because it’s illegal. It doesn’t mean you can go ahead and use it but it means that I think we’ve deemed steroids immoral simply because they are illegal.

The lesson about illegality conferring immorality is an important one. Chris Bell echoes Professor Sidney Gendin’s application of the lessons of Plato to the steroid debate. According to Gendin:

Most of them think illegality confers illegitimacy because they are told to think that. The great lesson of Plato’s dialogue EUTHYPHRO is that we should not declare anything immoral merely because it is illegal. That is putting the proverbial cart before the horse.

“Bigger Stronger Faster” is the most honest and truthful documentary about anabolic steroids that we have seen. The “Bigger Stronger Faster” DVD debuted at the 2008 Olympia Expo in Las Vegas this weekend. It can now be purchased from Amazon.

�

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WWE John Cena and Director Chris Bell Discuss Hypocrisy of Steroid Laws

The attorneys for Signature Pharmacy have requested a court hearing to defend patients against violations of due-process rights by the State of Florida. The State of Florida sent out letters to thousands of clients who have had prescriptions filled by Signature Pharmacy; they were notified that their prescription records had been seized by the State and subject to review by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution (”Signature Pharmacy sues prosecutors in ‘07 case,” October 12).

On another matter, attorneys for Signature also requested a hearing before Osceola Circuit Court Judge John Marshall Kest about the pharmacy’s clients. The state wants to examine prescriptions filled by Signature and sent letters to several thousand clients.

According to the motion filed, the state did not date the letters but told the clients they had 30 days to respond. Signature attorneys filed an objection, saying it violates the patients’ due-process rights.

The letters have alarmed many clients of Signature Pharmacy since private medical records seized from Signature Pharmacy have previously been “leaked” to the media by prosecutors in a concerted effort to smear and embarrass prominent individuals as part of a steroid witch-hunt e.g. Albany County District Attorney David Soares case against Signature Pharmacy.

David Soares’ office appears to have worked tirelessly sorting through the subpenoaed records of thousands of steroid users to find the names of affluent and successful professional athletes and entertainers who may have used steroids. This information is conveniently leaked to the press, most notably Soares’ bedfellow, Brendan Lyons of the Albany Times-Union.

Patients are justifiably concerned. They feel violated by the seizures of their medical/prescription records by the State of Florida, Albany County (New York) and various other state and federal government agencies; they are afraid what the government may do. 

Is it acceptable to only violate the medical records of professional athletes and entertainers? Or could other law-abiding, gainfully employed professionals be subjected to the public stigma of anabolic steroid use (even if used for legitimate therapeutic reasons)? Who else could have their medical records published in the press as a matter of public record due to the misguided agenda of a publicity seeking prosecutor?

We shall see. The Albany County District Attorney’s Office (New York) and the Office of Statewide Prosecution (Florida) allegedly created a plan where they would take turns prosecuting Signature Pharmacy on essentially the same charges (but sneakily avoid double jeopardy). Now that David Soares’ case against Signature was dismissed, it is now William Shepherd’s turn to prosecute. We’ll see how Shepherd’s Office of Statewide Prosecution uses the Signature Pharmacy patient list.

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Signature Pharmacy Defends Patients Against Violation of Due-Process Rights by State of Florida

Customs officials in San Diego desperately wanted to know “what’s Jose Canseco on now?” San Diego Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) searched and detained Canseco for over nine hours after being caught with a bottle of human chorionic goandotropin (hCG). Customs officials refused to release Canseco unless he allowed them to search his Southern California home. U.S. Customs agents searched Canseco’s home the very next day trying to find out “what’s Jose Canseco on now” but were disappointed when they did not discover any anabolic steroids.

Jose Canseco is the spokesperson for sports supplement company GAT (German American Technologies) whose ad campaigns feature a picture of Canseco with the question “what’s Jose Canseco on now?” It is unclear whether customs agents uncovered any Jet Fuel or Sonic Pump during a search of Canseco’s house (”Jose Canseco detained at Mexican border in drug bust,” October 10).

Canseco, who was with girlfriend Heidi Northcutt when his vehicle was stopped and searched and he was detained, had to sign a waiver and a consent form allowing his Los Angeles-area home to be searched by ICE agents in order for his release from custody, according to Emerson. Early Friday morning, before Canseco returned home, at least 10 ICE agents pored through Canseco’s belongings while Emerson was present.

Canseco’s attorney Greg Emerson was no doubt wondering whether U.S. Customs agents had anything more important to do than waste time investigating a bottle of the “incredibly harmless” drug hCG.

“We’re certainly hopeful he will not be charged with anything,” Emerson said of his client’s court appearance next week. “This is an incredibly harmless drug. We’re not talking about morphine or cocaine possession. Why he attracted so much attention is a bit of a mystery.

“I think that ICE had to try and legitimize 9-1/2 hours of detention, so they said, ‘If we don’t try to stick something to this guy, it’s going to look really bad.’ The ICE agents found nothing in Jose’s home. Really, in the big scheme of things, this has nothing to do with baseball or steroid use.”

Of course, our government has nothing more important than wasting time investigating a former baseball player in possession of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG). Maybe San Diego Customs agents are John McCain supporters and do not agree with Barrack Obama’ position on anabolic steroids?

Keep in mind that HCG is not even an anabolic steroid; it is simply an ancillary drug used in conjunction with other performance enhancing drugs (and of course demonized along with steroids).

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Jose Canseco Detained by Customs Over HCG and Released Only After Agreeing to Search of Home

William Llewellyn and Ashley Vincent Livingston have been both involved in the underground anabolic steroid market for over a decade. Llewellyn chose a legal path writing and reporting on the illicit androgen market whereas Livingston (better known as Redicat) chose to participate as a producer and distributor of anabolic steroids sold on the black market. Redicat was responsible for the introduction of “Paper Anabolics” that was explicitly created to pass undetected through customs controls into the United States.

In August 2000 Redi Cat announced on the boards that the new steroid revolution had come about in the shape of Paper Anabolics - a concept first discussed between Redi Cat’s associate and the late steroid guru, Dan Duchaine.

Redicat purportedly made millions of dollars in his chosen profession manufacturing and distributing PaperBol (Methandienone), PaperStrol (Stanazolol), PaperDrol (Oxymetholone), PaperVar (Oxandrolone), PaperHalo (fluoxymesterone), PaperPrimo (methenolone), etc. He was arrested in Thailand after a major international bust that involved the British Dragon cofounder Edwin Crawley in March 2008.

Anthony Roberts recently posted in his blog that William Llewellyn had betrayed Redicat several years ago in 2002 by publishing details about Redicat’s Paper Anabolics products that included detailed photographs. The alleged betrayal was based on information posted by prominent members of the Anabolex forum who thought that Llewellyn published the photos without Redicat’s permission.

One of the first things they did was to print photos of Redicat’s Paper Anabolics. This came about when Summers/Harcourt and Llewellyn actually got the samples and information on how they are produced by talking to Redicat, who was the first guy to put them on the market. Long-Story-Short, they quickly betrayed Redicat, by publishing photos of the products, and in addition putting the instructions on how to make them in the book.

The truth about William Llewellyn and Redicat is that they were on good terms. Based on email correspondences between Llewellyn and Redicat, it is clear that Redicat expressly wanted Llewellyn to publish photos of Paper Anabolics products.

Sorry about the “heat” you have been receiving over at the Anabolex - being that Admin and most of the mods are on real friendly terms with me and have always been ready to support RC and the products we carry, I guess they are just trying to be protective.

[...]

When I find out what’s going on and Admin gets back to me I will endeavor to smooth things over for you - bottom line is I gave you permission to use that photo having given it careful consideration, so anyone knocking you for it is a little out of line. (emphasis added)

Naturally though, in line with what the other guy suggested, I can only hope that my decision to let that photo fly has not set the cat among the (DEA) birds, if you’ll forgive the pun.

While William Llewellyn often receives “heat” for his lab analyses e.g. toxic metals contamination in underground lab steroids, there is no “smoke” from the alleged betrayal of Redicat.  Reporting on black market androgens is challenging due the illicit commercial nature of the underground steroid trade. In addition, the underground community’s desire to keep the trade secretive often conflicts with the need to protect consumers with information aimed at harm reduction.

But as our “feline friend” thanked Llewellyn in an email for the “time, thought and energy… invested” in the publication of photos of Redicat’s Paper Anabolics, we should also be grateful for the intellectual and financial investment William Llewellyn provides in the name of harm reduction for steroid consumers.

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The Truth About William Llewellyn and Redicat

Prosecutors representing the State of Florida and Albany County (New York) methodically planned to prosecute Signature Pharmacy in two separate steroid investigations in a manner that would deprive the defendants of protections against double jeopardy according to court documents.

William N. Shepherd, the Statewide Prosecutor for the Florida Attorney General, and David Soares and Christopher Baynes, prosecutors for the Albany County District Attorney’s Office in New York allegedly had a secret in-person meeting where they specifically planned complex legal proceedings in two jurisdictions to make it more difficult for Signature to defend itself. The plan was detailed in a report by Mark Haskins, an investigator with the New York Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement, who worked with Albany County District Attorney David Soares in the Signature Pharmacy steroid investigation.

MESO-Rx learned of the secret plan when it was revealed in a lawsuit by Signature Pharmacy against David Soares, Christopher Baynes, Albany County District Attorney’s Office, Mark Haskins, City of Orlando, and Alex Wright (”Signature Pharmacy vs. David Soares et al (PDF),” October 3).

In one in person meeting between the Individual Defendants and Statewide Prosecutor in Orange County, Florida, a plan was developed for the specific purpose of dividing the resources of SIGNATURE and forcing it and its principals to defend themselves in complex proceedings in two different jurisdictions with no opportunity to assert their rights under the Double Jeopardy Clause of the United States Constitution. This plan was noted by Defendant Haskins in an investigative report relating to SIGNATURE.

Now that David Soares case against Signature Pharmacy has been dismissed, it appears the the State of Florida is proceeding with the plan devised several years ago in the secret meeting between William Shepherd and David Soares and Christopher Baynes.

The Statewide Prosecutor has already sent letters to thousands of customers of Signature Pharmacy requesting permission to review their prescription records. Recipients of such letters have been understandably alarmed that their medical prescription records are being invaded as part of a steroid witch-hunt by another government agency.

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Signature Pharmacy Deprived of Double Jeopardy Protections in Secret Plan Concocted by Florida and Albany County

Signature Pharmacy has filed a lawsuit against District Attorney David Soares and the Albany County District Attorney’s Office over its steroid investigation entitled “Operation Which Doctor.” The Signature Pharmacy steroid scandal implicated numerous professional athletes and entertainers including top pro bodybuilders. Several months later, an Albany County judge dismissed the criminal indictments against the principals at Signature Pharmacy due to the incompetence of prosecutor David Soares.

Signature Pharmacy and its owners, Stan and Naomi Loomis, allege that David Soares illegally operated outside his jurisdiction in the steroid investigation and prosecuted them without probable cause; Signature Pharmacy further alleges that David Soares is a political opportunist who flew in an Albany Times-Union reporter and tipped off local media to cover an unnecessary steroid raid that was clearly designed as a photo op to promote Soares’ celebrity during an election year (”Legal muscle for pharmacy suing Albany DA and probers,” October 8).

The operators of Signature Compounding Pharmacy, the primary targets of an Albany steroid investigation before a judge tossed out their indictment last month, have filed a lawsuit alleging that Albany County District Attorney David Soares and other law-enforcement officials violated their civil rights during the two-year, multistate probe that linked a number of athletes to performance-enhancing drugs.

The lawsuit filed Friday in Florida’s Orange County Circuit Court claims that law-enforcement officials lied to obtain the indictment as well as a wiretap and search warrants. The defendants include Soares, Albany prosecutor Christopher Baynes, New York State Bureau of Narcotics Enforcement investigator Mark Haskins and the City of Orlando.

The lawsuit said that a reporter from the Albany Times Union accompanied Soares to Florida for the February 2007 raid at Signature’s Orlando locations and that other media outlets were notified prior to the raid. The plaintiffs accuse Soares, who is currently campaigning for reelection, of pursuing the case for “national publicity and professional accolades.” It also claims he defamed the defendants by comparing their business to the Mafia and crack dealers.

“The primary goal of the raids of Signature’s pharmacy were to garner publicity for the individual defendants,” the suit said.

David Soares re-election campaign appears doomed as his grand anti-steroid crusade has blown up in his face due to his incompetence; David Soares has been tarnished by charges of corruption for his role in the coverup of the Eliot Spitzer Troopergate scandal. Also, the Albany County Comptroller has reported “possible criminal” fiscal mismanagement and misuse of forfeiture funds by David Soares’ office.

Signature Pharmacy vs. David Soares et al (PDF)

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Signature Pharmacy Sues Prosecutor David Soares for Illegal Steroid Investigation

Albany County District Attorney David Soares spent millions of dollars in taxpayer money on a steroid witch-hunt against athletes and entertainers. The nation’s steroid hysteria facilitated extensive news and media coverage of the sensationalistic outing of steroid users. The lack of true investigative journalism allowed a corrupt, fraudulent and incompetent prosecutor to gain national headlines as an anti-steroid crusader while recklessly misusing his political office.

Is it any wonder that our country is in deep economic trouble given that our news gatekeepers have obsessed over the use of anabolic steroids by professional athletes and entertainers rather than investigate the fraud, corruption, and incompetence of government blowhards spearheading the steroid witch hunt?

Steroid legal expert Rick Collins of Collins, McDonald and Gann forwarded a local editorial suggesting the popularity of the political opportunist known as David Soares is rapidly sinking. The dismissal of the Signature Pharmacy steroid case is the apparently the least of David Soares problems.

Albany County District Attorney David Soares was so preoccupied with the Signature Pharmacy steroid investigation in FLORIDA, the APS Pharmacy investigation in ALABAMA and numerous longevity clinics in states around the country, he was too busy to prosecute over 322 felons who had to be released from jail in HIS OWN DISTRICT in Albany County. Many of his constituents now feel that Soares should spend more time prosecuting local cases and less on the national steroid investigations  (”Soares accused of letting criminals off the hook,” October 7).

Cusick says more than 300 accused felons were released from the Albany County Jail because Soares failed to prosecute them.

Cusick says he got the documents and the information through the Freedom of Information Law.

State criminal procedure law says a defendant facing felony charges must be released from jail if the case is not presented to a grand jury within 45 days.

David Soares’ office has repeatedly mismanaged and misused county funds with a flagrant disregard for appropriate legal and accounting procedures according to officials audits by the County Comptroller Michael Conners. Soares mishandling of county funds is in addition to his use of funds to fly Albany Times-Union investigative journalist (sic) Brendan Lyons and a newspaper photographer to cover the Signature Pharmacy steroid raid that was clearly unnecessary and designed only as a photo op. The County Comptroller has briefed David Soares on the “possible criminal matter” related to the audit (”Comptroller releases audit findings for DA’s office,” October 7).

“Missing money is a matter of grave concern,” said Albany County Comptroller Michael Conners.

Conners released his 33-page report on an audit of the Albany County District Attorney’s office that alleges evidence bags kept in a safe which should contain money were found empty. Meaning $6,195 may have been taken or is somehow missing.

“Evidence was tampered with and money was stolen,” said Conners.

The audit also accuses the DA’s office of misusing state forfeiture funds like $7,297 for mini flashlights and whistles with the DA’s name on them, $12,000 for T-shirts for the “enough” program, $6,000 for neighborhood watch T-shirts, $837 for 600 bags with the DA’s name on them and a $2,700 cash donation. The expenses total over $33,000.

When the media gave David Soares a free pass to waste money on a national steroid investigation, he apparently was emboldened to proceed with multiple abuses of his office. David Soares’ role in the coverup of the Eliot Spitzer Troopergate scandal is another disturbing abuse of power (”Soares Troopergate Swill,” August 6). 

Albany DA David Soares yesterday sought to put the Troopergate scandal to rest, saying it would allow the state to “move on and deal with the critical issues” it faces. Oh, how he wishes.

Soares reluctantly released 8,562 pages of documents from his two Troopergate probes. The material shows how Soares & Co. treated then-Gov. Eliot Spitzer and his staff with kid gloves.

That fits with the findings of Soares’ first report, which totally whitewashed the role of Spitzer and his aides in the plot to use State Police to smear then-Senate Majority Leader Joe Bruno.

[...]

But Troopergate has grown well beyond the smear campaign.

It long ago became a scandal of coverup - and Soares’ own role in that part of the affair has yet to be addressed.

No doubt, Soares wants to “move on.” Folks with something to hide usually do.

But then again, who cares about fraud, corruption and incompetence in government? Who cares about the national and economic security of our country? Let’s go after steroid users! Steroid use is evil.

Then again, maybe our country DOES face more important issues than finding out who is using steroids? Maybe Barrack Obama’ current position on anabolic steroids is right…

“Kids are watching sports. They’re modeling themselves on athletes,” Obama said. “It’s a serious problem, but it’s one that you want to see the leagues themselves handle in a more appropriate way. We’ve got nuclear weapons and a financial meltdown to worry about. We shouldn’t be worrying about steroids as much as I think sometimes we do.”

Government fraud? Corruption? Nuclear weapons? Financial meltdown? Steroids?

Which one of these does not belong?

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Steroid Pharmacy Investigation Led by Corrupt Prosecutor

The NBC television series “Life” creatively demonized anabolic steroids in the plotline of the recent episode entitled “Everything… All the Time.” They producers of “Life” blamed anabolic steroids for murder, roid rage, a suicide attempt, steroid overdose, and bleeding from the eyes in this bit of anti-steroid propaganda. The  “roid rage” scene rivaled and arguably surpassed the classic “Ben Affleck Roid Rage After School Special” in its imaginative, fanciful and fictional portrayal of roid rage. This is an amazing feat in and of itself.

The steroid hysteria also incorporated an attack on physicians who prescribe steroids, health clubs and gyms, and bodybuilders who use steroids; the “Life” episode featured a doctor who was a “board certified physician” that owned “Flex T Gym” and prescribed steroids to its members (but referred to members as “clients” so that their medical records would be covered by “doctor-client confidentiality”)!

Anti-steroid crusaders will find an agreeable ending consistent with their agenda; the roid-raging steroid user (Jeff Soskin playing Marty Hawkins) dies from a “massive steroid overdose” as the result of a “steroid hot shot” with twenty times the potency of the average steroid dose!

This is one of the most uninformed depictions of anabolic steroids and so-called roid rage in television history rivaling Ben Affleck in ‘A Body to Die For: The Aaron Henry Story’ and Peter Billingsley in ‘The Fourth Man’ in its degree of absurdity.

 �

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NBC Life Television Series Demonizes Anabolic Steroids

Barack Obama made an unintentional attack on Joe Biden, his running mate on the Democratic Presidential ticket, for his long legislative record on anabolic steroids. Joseph Biden has been on an anti-steroid crusade for almost two decades; Biden is responsible for key legislation criminalizing anabolic steroids and diverting significant government resources in a misguided attempt at fighting steroids in sports.

Obama attacked Joseph Biden’s position on anabolic steroids (without specificially attributing it to his vice presidential candidate by name) on ESPN Radio’s “Mike & Mike in the Morning“. Obama suggested that congressional obsession with anabolic steroids was largely a waste of time and that the federal government had far more important things to worry about (”Obama Differs from McCain on Steroids,” October 2).

“I gotta admit that seeing a lot of congressional hearings around steroid use is not probably the best use of congressional time,” Obama said.

[...]

But Obama suggested this morning there were more important things on which the government should focus.

“Kids are watching sports. They’re modeling themselves on athletes,” Obama said. “It’s a serious problem, but it’s one that you want to see the leagues themselves handle in a more appropriate way. We’ve got nuclear weapons and a financial meltdown to worry about. We shouldn’t be worrying about steroids as much as I think sometimes we do.”

Some people think that Barack Obama was criticizing the Republican presidential nominee John McCain which he was most likely attempted to do. But Obama’s campaign disagrees with this interpretation of his comments.

Obama campaign spokesman Tommy Vietor said the Democrat’s comments were not intended as a dig at McCain.

So, if, for we take the Obama campaign’s denials at face value and the comments were not intended as a “dig at McCain”, then who could be the intended recipient of Obama’s criticisms?

It might as well be Joe Biden. Biden is the chief architect of the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 1990 that criminalized the possession of anabolic steroids for non-medical purposes as well as the Anabolic Steroid Control Act of 2004 which opened the door for significantly harsher penalties for steroid possession and steroid distribution. This paved the way for more steroid hearings and aggressive federal prosecution of steroid-related cases. There are few as responsible for the grandstanding over anabolic steroids on Capitol Hill as Joe Biden.

Obama’s campaign also claims that his position on anabolic steroids has been consistent for years. Yet, less than five months ago he was speaking a different tune (”Where the candidates stand on sports issues,” May 9).

As a father and an avid sports fan, I understand the dangers that performance enhancing drugs pose for athletes, as well as the teenagers who seek to emulate them, not to mention the effect that these drugs have on the integrity of sports. As president, I would use the bully pulpit of my office to warn Americans about the dangers of performance enhancing drugs, and I would put greater resources into enforcement of existing drug laws. I would also convene a summit of the commissioners of the professional sports leagues, as well as university presidents, to explore options for decreasing the use of these drugs. (emphasis added)

Anabolic steroid law reform is unlikely regardless of which party assumes the office of the President of the United States. The McCain campaign has already stated that fighting steroids in sports is a priority (interpreted as ‘let’s spend more money fighting steroids in sports’).

A McCain administration would continue an aggressive prosecutorial approach, and will focus more on educating our youth about the destructive effects of these substances. And it’s not just performance-enhancing drugs. Our kids are obtaining prescription drugs over the Internet at an alarming rate. His administration would encourage schools to include lessons concerning the adverse health effects of these substances as part of physical education, and disseminate these educational messages at the grassroots level. In addition, my administration would ensure that dietary supplement manufacturers are in compliance with the Dietary Supplement Health Education Act (DSHEA) and not seeking shelter for substances that were never intended to be protected under the Act. A McCain administration would continue to pressure professional sports leagues to adopt zero-tolerance doping policies, and ensure that the Olympic athletes that represent our Nation do so with honor. Also, A McCain administration will provide the necessary support to research laboratories that are working to outpace the science developed by those who seek substances undetectable to testing. (emphasis added)

In other words, it appears that top steroid law defense attorney Rick Collins and his firm will remain in business during the next Presidential administration regardless of who wins!

At least Barack Obama is doing the right thing now by redirecting priorities away from the senseless steroid witch-hunts towards meaningful issues of national and economic security.

If Obama’s comments about steroids were intended as a swipe at John McCain, it makes me wonder if he recognizes the extent of Joe Biden’s involvement in the government’s direction on anabolic steroid legislation. Probably not. The vice presidential vetting process most likely did not extend to Biden’s personal vendetta against steroid users.

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Barack Obama Attacks Joseph Biden’s Position on Anabolic Steroids

The Florida Attorney General’s Office is waiting 30 days before reviewing the private prescription records of thousands of clients who used the services of Signature Pharmacy. Clients of Signature Pharmacy have 30 days to file a written objection to prevent an invasion of their prescription records by the Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution. If the State of Florida does not receive a written objection, they may use and submit your prescription records in a state case against Signature Pharmacy.

The Albany County District Attorney’s steroid distribution case against Signature Pharmacy (Operation Which Doctor) was recently dismissed due to the incompetence of prosecutor David Soares. As a result, David Soares is not permitted to seek charges against Signature Pharmacy effectively wasting millions of dollars from the coffers of Albany County.

The Florida Attorney General’s is hoping that David Soares has not irreparably damaged a criminal case against against Stan and Naomi Loomis, the Signature Pharmacy owners, pharmacist Michael Loomis or Signature Pharmacy employees Kirk Calvert and Anthony Palladino. Apparently, prosecutors in Florida feel they can obtain a new set of evidence through a review of prescription records. The new evidence could potentially be used against Signature Pharmacy in a steroid and growth hormone distribution case thereby avoiding double jeopardy.

Anthony Roberts, a client of Signature Pharmacy, recently posted a scan of a letter received from the desk of William N. Shepherd, the Statewide Prosecutor for the Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum. The text of the undated letter reads as follows:

Re: The Matter of Search Warrant For Premises Known As 1200 Kuhl Avenue, Orlando, Florida, And The Premises Known as 2304 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, Florida, Case no.: CI07-OC-1237
OSWP# 2004-0456-ORL

To Whom It May Concern:

The purpose of this correspondence is to put you on notice that your prescription records were seized pursuant to a search warrant executed at Signature Pharmacy, located at 1200 Kuhl Avenue, Orlando, Florida and 2304 Aloma Avenue, Winter Park, Florida, on February 27, 2007. If you object to a review of your prescription records by the undersigned Assistant Statewide Prosecutor and her law enforcement agents, you must file a written objection within thirty (30) days from the date of issuance of this correspondence with the Clerk of Circuit Court for Osceola County, located at Two Courthouse Square, Ste. 2000, Kissimmee, Florida 34741. Thank you for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Anne Wedge-McMillen

Anthony Roberts has chosen to file an objection refusing to have his medical records used in a steroid witch-hunt by the State of Florida. Undoubtedly, most others will probably throw out the letter without a response; this could allow the Attorney General’s Office access to prescription records that could potentially be used as evidence in a future criminal prosecution by Florida against Signature Pharmacy.

 Letter to Clients of Signature Pharmacy from the Florida Attorney General (PDF)

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Florida Attorney General Contacting Signature Pharmacy Customers