AG: North Andover Doc Was Top OxyContin Prescriber In State

NORTH ANDOVER, MA -- The Massachusetts Attorney Generals office filed a complaint against OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that says former North Andover doctor Walter Jacobs was once the biggest prescriber of the opiate in the state. The complaint charges the pharmaceutical company using consulting reps to target Jacobs and other "high-prescribing" doctors in Massachusetts.

While he is not listed as a defendant in the case, the Attorney General claims the company bought him and other doctors meals and asked them to prescribe OxyContin to specific patients. The drug and doctors who over-prescribe the medication are seen as key factors fueling the opioid epidemic.

"Purdue's sales reps reported to the company that Jacobs 'believes in Oxycontin' and 'continues to switch patients from other medications to Oxycontin," the complaint said.

Jacobs operated a private practice in North Andover between 2008 and 2012, when he surrendered his medical license during a misconduct investigation.

"When he lost his medical license, Jacobs admitted that he continuously prescribed narcotics to patients, ignored the risk of substance abuse, and kept prescribing narcotics even after his patients overdosed," the complaint said.

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Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).