2 N.J. Doctors Lose Jobs, 16 Offices Probed After Statewide Alert For Deadly Drug

Two doctors have now lost their jobs after 16 New Jersey doctors' offices were investigated, and a statewide alert was issued for a painkiller that officials say caused at least one death.

A Middlesex County doctor convicted last month for engaging in sophisticated fraud and money laundering schemes in connection with his practices has been permanently stripped of his medical license, according to a release from the Attorney General's Office.

The Board of Medical Examiner's found, among other things, that he engaged in the indiscriminate prescribing of Subsys, a powerful, oral spray painkiller approved only for use in certain cancer patients, according to the release.

Manoj Patharkar, 45, who owns Pain Management Associates of Central Jersey in Edison and Prospect Pain Management in Passaic, is forever barred from practicing medicine in New Jersey. The board that found, among other things, that Patharkar engaged in “gross malpractice” that endangered the health, safety, and welfare of his patients, according to the rlease.

In October, the board temporarily suspended the license of Vivienne Matalon, a Cherry Hill family physician accused of indiscriminately prescribing a powerful spray form of the painkiller fentanyl to three patients, one of whom died. Her license will remain suspended until the allegations against her are resolved.

In revoking Patharkar’s license, the board cited his criminal conviction last month for engaging in sophisticated fraud and money laundering scheme, hiding approximately $3.6 million in income from his medical practices to evade taxes. He was also convicted for using money from the schemes to pay illegal kickbacks to other professionals for patient referrals to his practices.

The state issued the public alert after filing an action against Matalon who allegedly prescribed the drug to a non-cancer patient who later died from “adverse effect of drugs.”

Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino and the Division of Consumer Affairs warned the public about the "grave risks" involved in using the potent prescription painkiller Subsys for anything other than its approved use, which is to treat cancer patients already on around-the-clock opioid painkillers, according to a release from the Office of Attorney General.

Prescribing Subsys for anything other than its approved use, a practice known as “off-label” prescribing, carries an increased risk of misuse, abuse, addiction, overdose and death, authorities said.

Investigators with the Division of Consumer Affairs have inspected patient records at six doctors’ offices statewide and subpoenaed patient records from 10 others in connection with an investigation for off-label prescribing of the medication. Inspections and investigations of the off-label prescribing of Subsys will continue, authorities said.

Subsys is the brand name of one of six fentanyl medications that instantly deliver the drug through the oral membranes. Subsys is a spray version of fentanyl, which is typically administered under the user’s tongue. Fentanyl is the drug officials say was involved in the overdose death of the legendary musician Prince earlier this year.

The medicine is not intended for use in opioid non-tolerant patients because life- threatening respiratory depression and death could occur at any dose in patients not taking chronic opioids.

Fentanyl generally is a powerful synthetic opioid painkiller that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent. Recently, fentanyl has increased in popularity as a recreational drug, diverted from its legal use as a Schedule II pain medication, and is often either used by itself or in connection with heroin.

Fentanyl, in both diverted and illegal analog forms, now results in thousands of overdose deaths every year nationally, according to the release.

Patients who believe they were prescribed Susbys in violation of the FDA restrictions should contact the Division of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-242-5846 (toll-free within New Jersey) or 973-504- 6200.

Patch file photo