REDWOOD CITY, Calif.—A Colorado doctor has pleaded no contest to illegally prescribing generic Prozac to a Stanford University student who later committed suicide.
Christian Hageseth III entered his plea Tuesday to a felony count of practicing medicine without a license, as San Mateo County prosecutors were preparing for trial.
He faces up to a year in jail when he’s sentenced April 17.
Hageseth was working under a restricted license and not allowed to write prescriptions in Colorado when he prescribed the antidepressant to 19-year-old John McKay through an online pharmacy in August 2005.
McKay committed suicide two months later. His parents sued the doctor and the pharmacy, but the case was dismissed after medical experts said they couldn’t prove the drug caused the young man to kill himself.
Hageseth’s lawyer says poor health persuaded the former doctor not to contest the criminal charge.
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Information from: SAN MATEO DAILY JOURNAL,
