Ridgewood Psychiatrist Arrested In Prescription Drug Scheme Involving Wife

RIDGEWOOD, N.J. — A village psychiatrist was arrested and has had his medical license suspended following an investigation into the distribution of prescription drugs, authorities said.

Authorities investigated James R. Cowan Jr., 72. As part of the investigation, undercover law enforcement personnel posed as new patients in February 2016 and went to Cowan's West Saddle River Road home, which he worked out of, for treatment, Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said in a news release.

The undercover officers received prescriptions for medications in exchange for money, Grewal said. Cowan did not physically evaluate the officers, but just issued them prescriptions for Xanax and Adderall, authorities said.

Cowan became sick in March and was hospitalized for several months. While in the hospital and at a nursing home, Cowan allegedly pre-signed prescription sheets for his wife to dispense addictive drugs to his patients, many of whom were looking for such drugs, Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in a news release.

Cowan reviewed patients' records while in the nursing home and caused prescriptions for Tylenol with Codeine, Adderall, Xanax, and Subutex to be issued for patients he did not examine, Grewal said.

The State Board of Medical Examiners suspended Cowan's license in May. He is barred from practicing medicine and also from writing prescriptions for controlled dangerous substances until the Board takes further action, Porrino said. Cowan is also required to surrender all prescription pads, and any controlled dangerous substances in his possession, except for those lawfully prescribed for his own use.

Cowan turned himself over to the prosecutor's office Wednesday. He was charged with several drug distribution offenses and released pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court.

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Photo: James R. Cowan Jr., 72 — Bergen County Proscutor's Office