pill mill

English

Pronunciation

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

Noun

pill mill (plural pill mills)

1. (idiomatic) A clandestine operation where a medical worker illicitly offers prescription medication to patients in exchange for bribes.
   • 2011, Jane Musgrave, The Palm Beach Post, 4 men sentenced in pill mill scheme, link

     Four men who helped Jeff and Chris George run their lucrative pill mills received sentences ranging from 9 months to 14 years today in federal court.

   • 2014, JB McMunn, M.D., Naked Capitalism, The Stealthy, Ugly Growth of Corporatized Medicine, link

     Needless to say, the professional bullying from the primary care physicians (PCPs) and the [hospital] administrators to run both a pill mill and a needle jockey business was tremendous. I resisted the entire time, but god it wore me out. [From a pain specialist for a large multi-specialty group.]

Related terms

• diploma mill
• paper mill
• pill popper

 

See also

• malpractice
• overmedication
• overprescription
• overtreatment