Sonoma doctor loses license after accusations of overprescribing opioids, antidepressants

A Sonoma physician voluntarily surrendered his medical license after the state medical board accused him of overprescribing opiates and antidepressants to at least four patients.

Clinton Lane signed an agreement, turning over his license effective Wednesday, according to a spokesman with the Medical Board of California. The board accused him of excessive or negligent prescriptions of multiple drugs, including morphine, methadone and several types of antidepressants.

In one case, he continued prescribing a patient opiates for more than two years after she was hospitalized for opiate detoxification, according to the board’s complaint.

Lane, who had his own practice, previously served as a medical director of skilled nursing at Sonoma Valley Hospital, according to Sonoma ?Index-Tribune archives. It’s unclear when he left the hospital.

Hospital representatives were not available for comment Thursday.

Medical board spokesman Carlos Villatoro said confidentiality rules prevented him from saying whether the board had ever considered referring Lane for criminal prosecution.

You can reach Staff Writer Andrew Beale at 707-521-5205 or andrew.beale@pressdemocrat.com.