DRACUT, MASS. (WHDH) - A Dracut doctor has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after he illegally prescribed opioids to an at-risk patient that resulted in her death, and with illegally prescribing opioids to other patients for no legitimate medical purpose, Attorney General Maura Healey announced.
Richard Miron, 76, was indicted last week by a Middlesex County Grand Jury on 23 counts of illegally prescribing controlled substances, 23 counts of making false Medicaid claims, and involuntary manslaughter.
Healey’s office launched an investigation into Miron, who worked as a solo practitioner of internal medicine, in 2017 after authorities learned that he ranked as the largest provider of high dose, short-acting oxycodone prescriptions among all MassHealth providers in the state.
Prosecutors say Miron is responsible for the death of a patient on March 17, 2016. A medical examiner determined that her death was caused by acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl, morphine, codeine, and butalbital, all of which were allegedly prescribed by Miron.
Investigators allege that Miron was aware that the victim previously had overdosed on opioids, yet he continued to prescribe large doses of opioids to her.
An investigation found that in multiple other instances, Miron prescribed opioids, including oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl, methadone, and hydromorphone to patients for no legitimate medical purpose, officials said. Miron is accused of prescribing the drugs, which have a high potential for abuse, to some patients despite their documented substance use disorders.
Miron is also charged with defrauding the state’s Medicaid program. The prescriptions he allegedly wrote caused pharmacies to falsely bill MassHealth.
He is due back in court at a later date.
An investigation is ongoing.
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