HARLINGEN – A Harlingen physician is temporarily suspended from practice after the Texas Medical Board found he issued enough prescriptions for controlled substances to pose a threat to public welfare.

The board says the number of prescriptions issued was high enough to trigger an investigation into Dr. Jason Evans’ practice.

The medical board says Evans was not cooperative in the investigation.

According to the report, records from August 2016 through August 2017 showed he prescribed a total of 4,906 opioid medication, 1,047 benzodiazepines and 4,382 of Soma prescriptions. Logs from the Texas Board of Pharmacy also show he was "prescribing controlled substances, 97 percent of which were cocktail drugs: 46 percent opioids, 10 percent benzodiazepines, and 41 percent Soma."

A hearing is expected to be held as soon as possible unless Evans chooses to waive it—in which he has the right to a confidential disciplinary hearing.

The physician will remain suspended until a final action can be decided by the board.