Federal drug control authority suspends psychiatrist David A. Ruben

March 13, 2014

On June 18, 2013, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration Office of Diversion Control granted psychiatrist David A. Ruben’s application to renew his DEA controlled substance registration with conditions and suspended it for a year as of July 18, 2014. This action was related to disciplinary action taken against Ruben by the Arizona Medical Board. On May 21, 2010, the Board censured Ruben and restricted him from prescribing opioid drugs for a period of one year. He was additionally placed on probation with terms and conditions for two years. According to the Board’s order, Ruben deviated from the standard of care with 12 patients to whom he prescribed controlled substances and other dangerous drugs without doing one or more of the following: conducting evaluations; ordering lab studies; obtaining past medical records; obtaining a history of alcohol or substance abuse or a past psychiatric history or performing a functional assessment to support the diagnosis and prescription.