Ruan v. United States Consolidated Oral Argument

The Supreme Court heard oral argument in Ruan v. United States, a consolidated case on whether physicians can be convicted for illegal distribution of controlled substances, like opioids, if they believed the drugs they prescribed were done so under professional norms and treatment purposes. Under the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), it is illegal for anyone to “manufacture, distribute or dispense” controlled substances. There is an exception for physicians who prescribe opioids for legitimate medical purposes in medical settings. The issue in this case is whether the prescribing physician did so in good faith and whether this standard should be applied when considering criminal cases and convictions. This case stems from the conviction of two physicians the federal government claimed ran “pill mills,” terminology often used to describe instances in which mass amounts of opioids are prescribed for inappropriate uses. close