[Federal Register Volume 63, Number 46 (Tuesday, March 10, 1998)]
[Notices]
[Pages 11694-11695]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 98-6103]


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DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

Drug Enforcement Administration
[Docket No. 98-3]


Dong HA Chung, M.D.; Revocation of Registration

    On October 8, 1997, the Deputy Assistant Administrator, Office of 
Diversion Control, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), issued an 
Order to Show Cause to Dong Ha Chung, M.D. (Respondent), of Anderson, 
South Carolina. The Order to Show Cause notified him of an opportunity 
to show cause as to why DEA should not revoke his DEA Certificate of 
Registration BC0373465, and deny any pending applications for renewal 
of such registration as a practitioner pursuant to 21 U.S.C. 823(f) and 
824(a)(3) and (a)(5). The Order to Show Cause alleged that Respondent 
is not currently authorized to handle controlled substances in the 
State of South Carolina, and he has been excluded by the United States 
Department of Health and Human Services from participating in the 
Medicare, Medicaid and any state health care programs for a period of 
ten years.
    On November 5, 1997, Respondent, through counsel, filed a request 
for a hearing, and the matter was docketed before Administrative Law 
Judge Gail A. Randall. On November 6, 1997, Judge Randall issued an 
Order for Prehearing Statements. On December 1, 1997, the Government 
filed a Motion for Summary Disposition and Motion to Stay Proceedings, 
alleging that Respondent is currently registered with DEA to handle 
controlled substances in South Carolina, however he is currently 
without state authority to handle controlled substances in South 
Carolina.
    On December 16, 1997, Respondent filed a Memorandum in Opposition 
of Government's Motion for Summary Disposition arguing that 
Respondent's state controlled substances license was canceled based 
upon the suspension of his medical license, which has since been 
reinstated. Respondent asserts that he is currently seeking 
reinstatement of his controlled substances privileges in South 
Carolina, but ``a scheduled hearing (on the reinstatement) was 
postponed and for a reason not yet known, it has not been 
rescheduled.'' Respondent does not deny that he is not currently 
authorized to handle controlled substances in South Carolina.
    On January 7, 1998, Judge Randall issued her Opinion and 
Recommended Ruling, finding that Respondent lacks authorization to 
handle controlled substances in the State of South Carolina; granting 
the Government's Motion for Summary Disposition; and recommending that 
Respondent's DEA Certificate of Registration be revoked. Neither party 
filed exceptions to her opinion, and on February 9, 1998, Judge Randall 
transmitted the record of these proceedings to the Acting Deputy 
Administrator.
    The Acting Deputy Administrator has considered the record in its 
entirety, and pursuant to 21 CFR 1316.67, hereby issues his final order 
based upon findings of fact and conclusions of law as hereinafter set 
forth. The Acting Deputy Administrator adopts, in full, the Opinion and 
Recommended Decision of the Administrative Law Judge.
    The Acting Deputy Administrator finds that on July 12, 1996, the 
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control issued a 
Notice of Cancellation of Controlled Substances Registration, canceling 
Respondent's controlled substances registration in South Carolina. 
Respondent argues that the cancellation of his state controlled 
substances privileges was based upon the suspension of his medical 
license in South Carolina, and that his state medical license has since 
been reinstated. However, Respondent does not dispute that he is not 
currently authorized to handle controlled substances in the State of 
South Carolina. Therefore, the Acting Deputy Administrator finds that 
Respondent is not currently authorized to handle controlled substances 
in South Carolina, the state in which he is registered with DEA.
    The DEA does not have statutory authority under the Controlled 
Substances Act to issue or maintain a registration if the applicant or 
registrant is without state authority to handle

[[Page 11695]]

controlled substances in the state in which he conducts his business. 
21 U.S.C. 802(21); 823(f) and 824(a)(3). This prerequisite has been 
consistently upheld. See Romeo J. Perez, M.D., 62 FR 16,193 (1997); 
Demetris A. Green, M.D. 61 FR 60,728 (1996); Dominick A. Ricci, M.D., 
58 FR 51,104 (1993).
    Here, it is clear that Respondent is not licensed to handle 
controlled substances in South Carolina. Since Respondent lacks this 
state authority, he is not entitled to a DEA registration in that 
state.
    In light of the above, Judge Randall properly granted the 
Government's Motion for Summary Disposition. The parties did not 
dispute the fact that Respondent is currently unauthorized to handle 
controlled substances in South Carolina. Therefore, it is well-settled 
that when no question of material fact is involved, a plenary, 
adversary administrative proceeding involving evidence and cross-
examination of witnesses is not obligatory. See Phillip E. Kirk, M.D., 
48 FR 32,887 (1983), aff'd sub non Kirk v. Mullen, 749 F.2d 297 (6th 
Cir. 1984); NLRB v. International Association of Bridge, Structural and 
Ornamental Ironworkers, AFL-CIO, 549 F.2d 634 (9th Cir. 1997); United 
States v. Consolidated Mines & Smelting Co., 44 F.2d 432 (9th Cir. 
1971).
    Since DEA does not have the statutory authority to maintain 
Respondent's DEA registration because he is not currently authorized to 
handle controlled substances in South Carolina, the Acting Deputy 
Administrator concludes that it is unnecessary to determine whether 
Respondent's DEA registration should be revoked based upon his 
exclusion by the United States Department of Health and Human Services 
from participating in the Medicare, Medicaid and any state health care 
programs.
    Accordingly, the Acting Deputy Administrator of the Drug 
Enforcement Administration, pursuant to the authority vested in him by 
21 U.S.C. 823 and 824 and 28 CFR 0.100(b) and 0.104, hereby orders that 
DEA Certificate of Registration BC0373465, previously issued to Dong Ha 
Chung, M.D., be, and it hereby is, revoked. The Acting Deputy 
Administrator further orders that any pending applications for renewal 
of such registration be, and they hereby are, denied. This order is 
effective April 9, 1998.

    Dated: March 3, 1998.
Donnie R. Marshall,
Acting Deputy Administrator.
[FR Doc. 98-6103 Filed 3-9-98; 8:45 am]
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