The Justice Department has accused a New Jersey orthopedic surgeon of conspiring to distribute opioids and other controlled substances without performing physical exams or even seeing some patients, the Daily Journal reported April 29.
Robert Taffet, MD, allegedly wrote "prescriptions prior to and without interacting with any patients," according to federal investigators, who had a source record videos inside his office between September and November.
Investigators said "on several occasions" they saw a nurse exit Dr. Taffet's personal office in Sicklerville, N.J., to give envelopes believed to have prescriptions to cash-paying patients in the parking lot, according to the report.
New Jersey's Prescription Monitoring Program data indicates the orthopedic surgeon's prescriptions between April 2020 and December 2021 resulted in nearly 180,000 pills for opioids and methadone being dispensed by pharmacies.
Dr. Taffet works as a contracted physician at Sprains, Strains & Fractures in Cherry Hill, N.J., but was not accused of conducting any indiscretions at its offices, a spokesperson for the practice told Becker's.
Editor's note: This article was updated May 3 at 10:40 a.m. CT.