Middlesex Doctor Convicted Of Fraud, Dangerous Prescribing Practices Has License Revoked

MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ— A Middlesex County doctor found guilty last month of fraud and dangerous prescribing practices has had his medical license permanently revoked, the New Jersey Attorney General's office said in a statement.

Dr. Manoj Patharkar, who owns Pain Management Associates of Central Jersey (PMACJ) in Edison and Prospect Pain Management (PPM) in Passaic, is permanently barred from practicing medicine in New Jersey after the NJ Board of Medical Examiners found he engaged in "gross malpractice."

Patharkar was found to have prescribed Subsys, a powerful, oral spray painkiller approved only for use in certain cancer patients, indiscriminately to patients. Subsys is a form of fentanyl, a highly addictive, highly lethal opiate.

“Dr. Patharkar recklessly ignored the well-established risks associated with Subsys, and put his patients in grave danger of overdose or death by flouting the strict rules for prescribing it,” said Steve Lee, Director of the Division of Consumer Affairs. “His reckless prescription of this powerful drug, coupled with the crimes he committed in connection with his pain management centers, renders him unfit to practice medicine in the State of New Jersey. A permanent revocation of Dr. Patharkar’s license is the only way to ensure he will do no further harm to the public.”

Patharkar was found guilty in October of money laundering, fraud, and receiving kickbacks from doctors. You can read more about those charges here.