Lynn R. Webster, MD Reinvents Himself, But Who Is Listening?

Date:  May 28, 2025
In 2013, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) launched an investigation of then-president-elect of the American Academy of Pain Medicine (AAPM) Lynn R. Webster, MD, related to overdose deaths at Webster’s Lifetree Pain Clinic in Salt Lake City.
It was alleged there were up to 100 deaths at Webster’s clinic which was raided by the DEA.
Webster attributed the deaths to “suicide” and the pain clinic closed its doors. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Utah declined to pursue charges, effectively ending the DEA investigation. The late US Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) was rumored to be the force behind charges being dropped against Webster.
There were personal injury cases settled against Webster by some of the family members of the dead victims at his pain clinic. Although he reportedly put the blame of the deaths on his medical staff.
Webster was able to retain his medical license, but it was alleged and reported that his ability to prescribe opioids was revoked. So, Webster reinvented himself and is now involved in research on opioids including being an advisor to the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and a “champion” for physicians and corporations coming under investigation by the DEA. Sometimes reinvention pays off in many ways.

Here is a recent op piece Webster wrote for the “Salt Lake City Tribune” regarding his expertise on deaths in Utah due to cuts in treatment for opioid addiction.

This is an excerpt from Webster’s op-ed for the “Salt Lake City Tribune”:

“I have presented multiple times to the FDA on the urgent need for safer opioid formulations and continue to advocate for balanced, evidence-based approaches to pain and addiction care. I can say with confidence that you cannot solve a problem by ignoring its complexity. Addiction is not simply about drugs. It is about people — people struggling with pain, isolation, economic instability and trauma. It is a socioecological problem that manifests biologically and is sustained by policy failures.”

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Webster’s concerns for policy failures relating to opioid addiction may very well be interpreted as “if I could beat criminal charges resulting in deaths — you may now consider me an expert on addiction and hang on my every word.”

Marianne Perez

Marianne Perez, Salem-News.com Investigative Reporter, is an Activist for Victims of OxyContin and Purdue Pharma throughout the United States and Canada. In July 2007, she testified against Purdue Pharma in Federal Court in Virginia at the sentencing of their three CEO's - Michael Friedman, Howard Udell and Paul Goldenheim - who pleaded guilty to charges of marketing OxyContin as less likely to be addictive or abused to physicians and patients. She also testified against Purdue Pharma at a Judiciary Hearing of the U.S. Senate in July 2007. Marianne works with government agencies and private attorneys in having a voice for her daughter Jill, who died in 2002 after being prescribed OxyContin, as well as the voice for scores of victims of OxyContin. She is currently working on a book that exposes Purdue Pharma for their continued criminal marketing of OxyContin. Marianne is a nurse, graduated in 1991 as president of her class, and also has a Paralegal certification. Marianne served on a Community Service Board for the Courier News, a Gannet newspaper in NJ, writing articles predominantly regarding AIDS patients and their emotional issues. She was awarded a Community Service Award in 1993 by the Hunterdon County, NJ HIV/AIDS Task Force in recognition of and appreciation for the donated time, energy and love in facilitating a Support Group for persons with HIV/AIDS.

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