State officials permanently banned Evangelos Megariotis, MD, former owner and operator of Clifton (N.J.) Orthopedic Associates, from practicing or prescribing drugs in New Jersey, according to the Garfield-Lodi Daily Voice reported.
Mr. Megariotis treated patients with complaints that included hypertension, upper respiratory issues, attention deficit disorder and post-thrombotic syndrome. He allegedly prescribed drugs such as Xanax, Adderall and cough syrup with codeine without a complete medical history, physical exam or referrals to specialists.
The surgeon kept patients on pain pills for years without cause, failed to diagnose or treat underlying conditions, improperly treated conditions outside his area of and operated on patients "without first establishing a legitimate medical need," state Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a June 14 ruling.
Mr. Megariotis also faces federal charges related to the distribution of more than 3.25 million opioid doses in "pill mill" clinics and physician offices throughout the Northeast, according to the report.
He is one of 54 defendants, 15 of whom are physicians, who prosecutors said participated in an $800 million health insurance scheme. Some have pleaded guilty, but many are still awaiting trial, according to the report.