By Steve Neavling
CBP’s top doctor repeatedly urged his staff to order fentanyl lollipops so that he could take them with him on his helicopter trip to the U.N.’s General Assembly meeting in New York in September, according to a whistleblower report obtained by NBC News.
The whistleblower alleges Dr. Alexander Eastman told his skeptical staff that he needed the lollipops in case any CBP operators were injured on his trip.
“Eastman spent copious hours of his and Office of the Chief Medical Officer staff time directing the OCMO staff to urgently help him procure fentanyl lollipops, a Schedule II narcotic, so that he could bring them on the CBP Air and Marine Operations helicopter on which he would be a passenger in New York City,” the whistleblowers said in the report. “Dr. Eastman claims that his possession of fentanyl lollipops was necessary in case a CBP operator might be injured, or in case the CBP Air and Marine Operations team encountered a patient in need.”
The staff repeatedly raised questions about the lollipops, including what he would do with any unused fentanyl, according to the report.
In response, Eastman wrote his own policy about procuring Schedule II narcotics, but failed to mention how they would be stored and disposed of, the whistleblowers said.
The whistleblowers also alleged Eastman was being investigated by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility for improperly ordering and securing narcotics for a friend who is a pilot for Air and Marine Operations.
An agency spokesperson said in a statement, “CBP takes all allegations of misconduct seriously. This matter has been referred to the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) for review. Consistent with our commitment to transparency and accountability, we will provide updates as they are available.”
Eastman became acting chief medical officer in June.
