New Mexico Attorney General Investigating 36 Deaths Linked to Psychiatrist Edwin B. Hall

September 27, 2018

The New Mexico Attorney General's office is investigating 36 deaths that could all be tied to one New Mexico doctor. 

Investigators say that doctor has a history of over prescribing medication, and that's not all. 

Inside his office on Girard near Indian School, investigators say something dangerous was going on: the prescription of concerning amounts and combinations of controlled substances to both minor and adult patients. 

Six of those patients died from a documents overdose according to OMI, and all had received prescriptions from psychiatrist Dr. Edwin Hall within 30 days of their deaths. 

Those deaths prompted an investigation into Dr. Hall by the New Mexico Medical Board, which revealed he was a high-risk prescriber who didn't properly screen, evaluate or monitor patients to whom he had prescribed controlled substances. 

It was also found he was allowing another doctor whose license had been revoked to practice out of his office. 

Dr. Hall voluntarily surrendered his medical license earlier this year and closed his office, but this case may not be over. 

The Attorney General's office has been trying to tackle the opioid problem in the state. While they say they can't speak about this specific case because it's still under investigation, last week they served a search warrant to obtain all of Dr. Hall's patient records.

The AG's office reveals it's uncovered 30 additional patients who had died while under Dr. Hall's care. They say further investigation into the cause of death of these patients is ongoing. 

The AG says this opioid problem is something his office is working to get a handle on. 

"New Mexicans were being pumped with these drugs," Attorney General Hector Balderas said. "Not only are these drugs dangerous, they are highly addictive...and they were not told the truth." 

The AG's office is also suing the drug makers saying they started all this by flooding the market with opioids. 

As for Dr. Hall, no criminal charges have been filed. KRQE News 13 reached out to Hall's attorney but have not heard back. 

Source: "AG investigates link between Albuquerque doctor, 36 patient deaths," KRQE, September 11, 2018, URL: https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/ag-investigates-link-between-albuquerque-doctor-36-patient-deaths/1435030562