Thursday, 7 February 2008

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Feds to probe Heath Ledger's drug supply

NYPD set to investigate how actor obtained prescription drugs

With the autopsy results for Heath Ledger now a matter of public record, the federal government is stepping in to determine how the actor was able to obtain so many prescription drugs.

"We are working with the NYPD to identify any illegally prescribed drugs that may have been prescribed to [Ledger]," New York's Drug Enforcement Administration spokesman Erin Mulvey tells PEOPLE, confirming news first reported by TVGuide.com on Wednesday.

New York City's Chief Medical Examiner on Wednesday announced that the 28-year-old actor's Jan. 22 death was accidentally caused by "the combined effects of Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Diazepam, Temazepam, Alprazolam, and Doxylamine."

TV Guide said the Drug Enforcement Administration would probe how Ledger obtained the various drugs. Oxycodone is a painkiller, Hydrocodone is also known as Vicodin, Diazepam is commonly called Valium, Temazepam treats anxiety or sleeplessness, Alprazolam is known as Xanax, and Doxylamine is a sedating antihistamine often used as a sleep aid.

Kathy Ehrich Dowd, Nicole Weisensee Egan and Stephen M. Silverman