Chris Benoit’s Physician Goes to Trial Without Facing Steroid Distribution Charges

Phillippe Astin, M.D., the family physician who prescribed anabolic steroids to Chris Benoit in the year prior to the Benoit double murder-suicide, is going to trial on March 16, 2009. Many will be surprised to learn that in the final 175-count federal indictment, there is not a single charge related to anabolic steroids. Press coverage demonized Dr. Phil Astin as the doctor who prescribed steroids to Chris Benoit. If steroids were to blame for the Benoit tragedy, the evil doctor who gave them to Benoit must also be held responsible.

Federal prosecutors, who initially felt the prescribing of steroids was a “major issue” in the Astin case, decided against steroid distribution charges in the revised indictment. Perhaps they concluded, upon the advice of the Georgia Chief Medical Examiner, that there was insufficient evidence to support the illegal prescribing of steroids. Instead, Phil Astin faces charges of distributing and dispensing approximately one million dosage units of painkillers and stimulants classified as controlled substances, including Percocet, Oxycontin, Demerol, Lorcet, Ritalin, Vicodin, Xanax, Klonipin, Methadone, Ritalin, Adderall, Dexedrine and Soma “for other than a legitimate medical purpose and not in the usual course of professional practice. “

The media chose to demonize anabolic steroids while (purposefully) ignoring the fact that the Benoit household was the recipient of almost 15,000 dosage units** of Lorcet, Soma and Xanax prescribed by the dubious Dr. Astin over a 30 month period. This would supply an average of 15 pills per day.

The media’s main storyline, consistent with the contemporary steroid hysteria, revolved around the scientifically unsupported belief that anabolic steroids caused “roid rage” which ultimately resulted in the tragic Benoit murder-suicide. The media was quick to find statements that they could incorporate into this storyline.

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Chris Benoit’s Physician Goes to Trial Without Facing Steroid Distribution Charges

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