LAWRENCE, MASS. (WHDH) - The former medical director of Lawrence Medical Center was indicted on 12 counts for illegally prescribing drugs to substance-use disorder and chronic pain patients, Attorney General Maura Healey announced Friday.
Dr. Ramon Saurez- Martinez, 69, of Methuen, allegedly prescribed drugs including amphetamines, benzodiazepines and morphine sulfate to his patients for no medical purpose, the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
The AG’s office alleges that these prescriptions were distributed outside the usual course of professional practice and that these illegal prescriptions resulted in false claims billed and paid for by MassHealth. In addition to the 12 counts of illegally prescribing substances, Saurez-Martinez is facing six counts of false medical claims.
According to the statement, Saurez-Martinez prescribed the substances even though he would be aware his patients were not taking the drugs due to their urinary samples.
The attorney general’s office also says that the patients frequently tested positive for drugs such as cocaine and fentanyl.
Saurez-Martinez is set to be arraigned in Essex Superior Court on May 19.
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