Federal Jury Convicts Michigan Doctor of Distributing More Than 2 Million Stimulant Pills Through Done’s ADHD Telehealth Platform
HPV Vaccination Before First Pregnancy Linked to 15% Lower Odds of Very Preterm Birth in Swedish Registry DataA BMJ study of 624,713 Swedish births linked HPV vaccination before pregnancy to 15% lower odds of very preterm birth. What families should know. Ozempic and Zepbound Makers Report Slower Aging Clocks, but Unreviewed Data Do Not Prove Patients Age SlowerNovo Nordisk and Eli Lilly say GLP-1 drugs slowed aging clocks, but the data are early and unreviewed. Here is what patients should know. Had Gestational Diabetes or Postpartum Depression? Large Study Links Pregnancy History to Later Heart and Kidney RiskA study of 1.4 million women links pregnancy complications to later heart, diabetes, and kidney risk. What to tell your doctor at checkups. Dementia Patients Overweight or Obese at Diagnosis Had Up to 27% Lower Death Risk, Raising Caregiver Nutrition QuestionsA national study of 4,523 U.S. adults with dementia linked higher weight at diagnosis to longer survival. Here is what it means for caregivers. Mental Health Frequent Mental Distress in Adults 18 to 29 Climbed From 12.7% to 21.3% Since 2012 Despite Recent DeclinesCDC data show 1 in 5 adults 18 to 29 report frequent mental distress, up from 2012 but down two years straight. Where to find help today. Veterans’ PTSD and Depression Relief After Ibogaine Largely Held for a Year in Small Stanford Study of 30Most veterans in a small Stanford ibogaine study kept their PTSD gains at 12 months, but the study had no control group, and heart risks remain. Hymns and Childhood Songs Topped the Phantom Music 81 Patients Heard, and Hearing Loss Was Often Not the CauseA Dutch study of people who hear music that isn’t playing found that half had no documented hearing loss, and most found the music a burden. Childhood Abuse Linked to Brain Structure Differences in 3,711 Brain Scans, with Stronger Patterns Seen in Young WomenA UCLA-led study of 3,711 brain scans links childhood abuse to brain structure differences. It shows an association, not a cause, and needs follow-up. Innovation Tech and AI Firms Lobbied Federal Health Officials in a CMS-Run Slack as Medicare Promotes Commercial Health AppsA KFF Health News probe found tech firms lobbying officials in a CMS-run Slack. What it means for seniors using Medicare-promoted health apps. CDC Closes Angola and South Sudan Offices, with Zimbabwe Next as U.S. Ties Health Aid to Country DealsThe CDC shut its Angola and South Sudan offices Oct. 1, with Zimbabwe next. Here is what the new aid deals require and what they mean for U.S. travelers. Vanderbilt Surgeons Transplant Children as Young as 2 Days Old Using Donor Hearts Recovered with Cold Oxygen FlushVanderbilt surgeons used a cold oxygen flush called REUP to recover donor hearts for children as young as 2 days old. Results are early but promising. Rhapsido Becomes First FDA-Approved Treatment for Hives Triggered by Scratching, but Fewer Than a Third Fully ClearedThe FDA approved Rhapsido for symptomatic dermographism, hives set off by scratching. In its trial, 29.3% fully cleared vs. 14.0% on placebo. Healthy Living Pallone Bill Would End Surprise Billing Arbitration in 2028 and Set Out-of-Network Pay at Insurers’ Median RatesA new House bill would replace No Surprises Act arbitration with a median in-network payment standard. What it could mean for premiums and bills. Carnivore Dieters’ LDL Cholesterol Jumped Nearly 100 Points in a German Study, and a 2026 Review Won’t Endorse the Diet Long TermA German study saw carnivore dieters’ LDL jump nearly 100 points, and a 2026 review says the meat-only diet can’t be recommended long-term. Twice as Many U.S. Hospitals Closed as Opened From 2010 to 2025, Leaving More Than 24,000 Fewer BedsA JAMA analysis finds 432 U.S. hospitals closed and 216 opened since 2010, with urban and rural areas hit at similar rates. What it means for care. Three Colorado Women Developed Blurred Vision and Weakness After Unapproved Botulinum Toxin Shots at a Medical SpaA CDC report links symptoms in three Colorado women to an unapproved botulinum toxin product used at a medical spa. What patients should ask first. Covid – 19 FDA Proposes Requiring Companies to Report Food Additives That Now Reach Grocery Shelves Without Federal ReviewFDA has released its proposed GRAS rule requiring companies to notify the agency about food additives. Here is what the proposal does and does not do. Federal Regulators Warn Some Hair Dryer Brushes Lack the Part That Stops ElectrocutionCPSC warns hair dryer brushes sold on Walmart.com and TikTok Shop lack immersion protection. The seller has not agreed to a recall or refund. A Recalled Teething Toy Broke the Pattern Parents Were Told to Look ForA newly recalled pull-string teething toy has a different model number and design from earlier recalls, and one choking incident has been reported. Trying to Lower Blood Sugar, Cholesterol or Blood Pressure? Different Workouts Suited Different MarkersA pooled analysis of 53 trials found that different exercise types helped different metabolic markers. Most of the evidence was low certainty. PHILIPPE HUGUEN | AFP via Getty Images Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on Pocket A federal jury in the Western District of Michigan has convicted Dr. Jonathan Decker, 46, of Rockford, Michigan, of distributing more than 2 million pills of Adderall and other stimulants through the Done ADHD telehealth platform. The verdict, announced by the U.S. Department of Justice on Friday, Oct. 2, found him guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and six counts of distribution of controlled substances.
Prosecutors said Decker prescribed the drugs without examining patients, including patients with substance use disorders and serious mental health conditions, and that the medications worsened their conditions. He was paid more than $1 million for those prescriptions, according to the Justice Department.
For the tens of thousands of adults who once relied on Done for ADHD care, the verdict raises a practical question that goes beyond one courtroom. Many are still taking stimulant medication, some with new prescribers, and some may now wonder whether their original diagnosis was handled properly. For most, the answer is not panic but a careful conversation with a clinician.
The Justice Department said trial evidence showed Decker prescribed methamphetamine to a patient with an active substance use disorder. Prosecutors also said he prescribed Adderall to a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia after the patient’s mother told him and Done that the drug worsened her psychotic symptoms.
When pharmacies began refusing to fill his stimulant prescriptions, Decker speculated that “running a meth lab seems like a pretty good idea,” according to the department’s release.
“The Fraud Division is providing full-spectrum accountability for drug dealers who cloak their activities in online telemedicine platforms,” Assistant Attorney General Colin M. McDonald said in the announcement.
Miranda L. Bennett, acting deputy inspector general at the HHS Office of Inspector General, said, “Dr. Decker’s reckless abuse of his medical license put vulnerable patients at risk and fueled dangerous drug abuse.” Pete Gizas, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations New York, added, “A medical license is a public trust, not a tool for flooding communities with dangerous controlled stimulants and exploiting vulnerable patients for profit.”
The conviction is a jury finding, not a final judgment. A sentencing date has not been set, and Decker faces a maximum penalty of 140 years in prison. Like other federal defendants, he may seek post-trial relief or file an appeal.
Done founder and CEO Ruthia He was convicted by a federal jury in November 2025. In July 2026, she was sentenced to 72 months in prison, while clinical president David Brody received 24 months, according to a DEA announcement on the sentencings.
The earlier cases centered on company leaders and their business model. The Decker verdict is different. It shows a jury holding an individual prescribing doctor criminally responsible for patient-level decisions, including prescriptions to people with clear warning signs. For patients, it points to the individual evaluation as the point where care can fail.
Prescription stimulants such as Adderall are Schedule II controlled substances because they carry real potential for misuse and dependence. In May 2023, the Food and Drug Administration required updated boxed warnings for the entire class to “describe the risks of misuse, abuse, addiction, and overdose consistently across all medicines in the class.”
The FDA also told prescribers to assess each patient’s risk before prescribing and to “monitor patients closely for signs and symptoms of misuse, abuse, and addiction.” Stimulant labeling separately warns about effects on blood pressure and heart rate, which is why clinicians typically ask about heart conditions, family history, and other medications. A rushed visit can skip those checks.
People with a history of substance use, psychosis, bipolar disorder, or heart disease face the greatest risk when that screening is missing. Prescriptions delivered online are not inherently unsafe, but the evaluation behind them must be complete.
When Done’s leaders were first charged in June 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned that 30,000 to 50,000 adult patients could lose access to their medications. The agency cautioned that disrupted access could push some people toward illegal pills that may contain fentanyl, and urged patients to “never illegally purchase or obtain pills.”
Former Done patients do not need to assume their diagnosis was wrong. They should avoid stopping or changing a stimulant on their own, because sudden changes can bring fatigue, low mood, and a return of ADHD symptoms. A clinician can help decide whether to continue, adjust, or re-evaluate treatment.
A sound ADHD evaluation usually includes a detailed history, questions about mental health and substance use, a review of heart health and current medications, and scheduled follow-up. Patients using any telehealth service can ask how long visits last, whether the same clinician manages refills, and how monitoring works.
Telehealth access remains legal for now. The DEA and HHS have extended pandemic-era flexibilities that let clinicians prescribe Schedule II through V drugs by telemedicine without a prior in-person visit through Dec. 31, 2026, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges. Patients should watch for any final rule that could change those requirements next year.
Switching prescribers can also be hard. Patients who lose a telehealth prescriber may need to find an in-network psychiatrist or primary care doctor, and wait times can be long. A primary care bridge appointment or a community mental health center can help avoid gaps.
Decker’s sentencing is the next major step in his case. The verdict is a reminder that stimulants help many adults with ADHD when prescribed carefully. The safest move for patients is to keep using a licensed prescriber and pharmacy and to raise any concerns about past care directly with a clinician.
Who is Jonathan Decker, and what was he convicted of?
Decker is a 46-year-old doctor from Rockford, Michigan. A federal jury in the Western District of Michigan convicted him of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and six counts of distribution for prescribing more than 2 million stimulant pills through Done ADHD.
No. The Justice Department said a sentencing date has not been set. He faces up to 140 years in prison, though federal judges set actual sentences based on sentencing guidelines and other factors.
Is this the same case as Done founder Ruthia He?
It is part of the same broader prosecution. Ruthia He was convicted in November 2025 and sentenced in July 2026 to 72 months. Decker is a separate defendant and the 11th person convicted in the Done-related case.
I was a Done patient. Should I stop taking my ADHD medication?
Do not stop or change a prescribed stimulant without speaking with a clinician. A licensed provider can review your history, confirm the diagnosis and decide on the safest plan for your treatment.
What are the risks of stimulants prescribed without a proper exam?
The FDA’s boxed warning highlights misuse, abuse, addiction and overdose. Without screening, people with substance use disorders, psychosis or heart problems may receive drugs that worsen their health.
Can I still get ADHD medication through telehealth?
Yes, for now. Federal flexibilities allowing telemedicine prescribing of controlled substances without an in-person visit run through Dec. 31, 2026. Patients should monitor DEA updates for any changes after that date.
What should I do if I cannot find a new prescriber?
Contact a primary care office, check your insurer’s directory or reach out to a community mental health center. Avoid buying pills online or from friends, since counterfeit pills may contain fentanyl.
Reported by medicaldaily.com.
Read Original Report at medicaldaily.com ↗
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share your opinion!