The Drug Enforcement Administration said there’s a federal investigation of Universal Pain Center, a pain clinic in Wauwatosa.
Crews with TODAY'S TMJ4 were there as agents with the DEA conducted a search warrant at the facility, late Thursday morning. The business was closed to patients at the time.
A patient of the clinic didn’t want to give out his name, but said he wasn’t surprised.
“I actually expected it to come earlier,” the man said. “They basically give you what you want.”
This man told TODAY'S TMJ4 he has been coming to Universal Pain Center for just over a year.
He said every month he would get 210 pills, 90 OxyContin and 120 Oxycodone pills, that he said he needed for his chronic back pain and gout.
It cost him $300 bucks for the first visit and about $250 for subsequent visits.
“They only took cash," he said. “Common sense will tell you that if they are charging you a certain amount of money and then charging your insurance then something ain’t right.”
When asked if he thought they were overprescribing pills, he said, “Oh yeah without a doubt."
The DEA declined an interview, but said this is an “ongoing federal investigation.”
We also contacted the U.S. Attorneys office, but they did not comment on the case.
A man called TODAY'S TMJ4 claiming to be a member of the management company with Universal Pain Center.
He said this federal investigation has nothing to do with Universal Pain Center or its patients.
He said the clinic is fully cooperating with the DEA and that Universal Pain Center will be back to business Friday.
