LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County doctor has been charged with prescribing medications like Xanax, Adderall and Subutex "outside his legal and ethical practice of medicine," Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced Tuesday.
Dr. Robert Mathews is being charged with 14 counts of Unlawful Prescription of Controlled Substances, Shapiro said in a press release.
Mathews allegedly failed to prescribe controlled substances in accordance with accepted treatment principles, Shapiro said. He also is accused of failing to keep accurate medical records supporting the high volume of controlled substances that he prescribed.
During patient appointments, Mathews allegedly failed to perform routine check-ups and instead prescribed addictive medications without consideration for the wellbeing of his patients, according to Shapiro.
“Dr. Mathews was trusted to thoughtfully write prescriptions in his patients’ best interests," Shapiro said. "Instead, he used his access to prescribe addictive medications that devastated many lives and families in Lancaster County. My office will continue to hold individuals accountable who recklessly put the lives of others at risk.”
The case is being prosecuted by the OAG’s Director of Diversion Robert Smulktis and Lancaster County Assistant District Attorney Deborah Greathouse.
“This case is an important reminder that law enforcement leaves no stone unturned when it comes to fighting the opioid epidemic – anyone who is responsible for the crimes contributable to this epidemic will be held accountable,” said Lancaster County District Attorney Heather Adams.
Former patients told investigators that during their appointments, Mathews would coach them to say they had medical diagnoses that were not accurate in order to justify their controlled substance usage. They characterized Mathews’s office to investigators as a “pill mill," Shapiro said.
Patients also reported that Mathews would ask for routine urine samples, but would not supervise patients while doing so and would often leave those samples in the office, unattended, according to Shapiro.
Mathews also reportedly left examination room doors open when conducting examinations, violating confidentiality agreements and exposing routine appointments to other patients and visitors in the office, Shapiro alleges.
A medical expert who reviewed Mathew’s patient files determined that Dr. Mathews failed to act within the scope of the patient relationship; falsified diagnoses to help patients secure high dose, high quantity, addictive medications; and failed to act in accordance with any of the treatment principles accepted by medical professionals, Shapiro said.
If current or former patients of Dr. Mathews need assistance because they were prescribed controlled substances and have abruptly lost care due to this incident, please contact the Patient Advocacy Program via email at ra-dh-advocacy@pa.gov or call 844-377-7367.
