United States of America v. Eskender Getchew

Date: 11-05-2025

Case Number: 22-cr-00068

Judge: Michael H. Watson

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio (Franklin County)

Plaintiff's Attorney: United States District Attorney's Office

Defendant's Attorney:

Description: Columbus, Ohio, criminal defense lawyer represented the Defendant charged with unlawfully prescribed controlled substances, including opioids, without a legitimate medical purpose.

kender Getachew is a medical doctor who operated a clinic in Columbus, Ohio, that provided treatment to patients suffering from opioid addiction. The federal government alleged that Dr. Getachew unlawfully prescribed controlled substances, including No. 24-3432 United States v. Getachewopioids, without a legitimate medical purpose.

“The opioid epidemic represents one of the largest public health crises in this nation’s
history.” Harrington v. Purdue Pharma L.P., 603 U.S. 204, 209 (2024) (quotation omitted).
Over the last three decades, opioid overdoses have taken the lives of hundreds of thousands of
Americans, see id., rendering the medical treatment of opioid addiction a public-health necessity.
One of the key medicines employed to treat opioid addiction is itself an opioid. The
drug, buprenorphine, functions by partially activating specific receptors in the brain, satisfying
an addict’s cravings without giving him a high. The drug allows a patient to avoid painful
withdrawal symptoms while focusing on recovery. But buprenorphine must be taken properly to
work. If a patient dilutes buprenorphine and injects it directly into his bloodstream, it can
produce a significant high.

To prevent this kind of abuse, medical guidelines advise addiction doctors to prescribe a
combination drug sold under the brand name Suboxone. Suboxone combines buprenorphine
with naloxone, an overdose-reversing medication. The naloxone acts as a blocking agent,
preventing patients from getting a high even if they attempt to abuse the buprenorphine.
Addiction doctors employ Suboxone in this way to help their patients reduce cravings and avoid
withdrawal symptoms, all while minimizing the risk of abuse.
Som

Outcome: After a seven-day trial, a jury convicted him. Dr. Getachew challenges his conviction on several grounds.

Affirmed

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Defendant's Experts:

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