The former University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) radiologist convicted of writing prescriptions for non-medical reasons has been sentenced to two years in federal prison, according to a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette report.
Marios Papachristou, 44, recently asked for probation after he and his lawyer claimed he only used the Vicodin prescriptions to feed his personal addiction and that of his UPMC colleague Omar Almusa. That plea was denied by U.S. District Judge Arthur Schwab.
"A probation sentence is a just a bridge too far in light of this conduct," Judge Schwab said to Papachristou.
Papachristou must also pay a $15,000 fine and will be on probation for three years after his release from prison.
Almusa is currently awaiting sentencing, according to the report.
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Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.