Marlton psychiatrist’s license suspended amid over-prescription probe

A Marlton psychiatrist temporarily surrenders his license, while facing allegations that he prescribed tens of thousands of doses of opiates without required quarterly reviews of patient usage.

Dr. Joel B. Glass's case is New Jersey's first involving violations of New Jersey's Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) lookup provision, according to state Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino's office, which added that the state Board of Medical Examiners were spurred to act after receiving a referral from medical regulators in Vermont, where many prescriptions allegedly were filled.

Since last November 16, prescribing physicians are required to conduct quarterly analysis of PMP data concerning any patient receiving Schedule II Controlled Dangerous Substances (CDS) for acute or chronic pain. Investigators allege that Glass bypassed the procedure for two patients.

Agents of the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration claim that Glass authorized large amounts of oxycodone and diazepam for several years, and that many were filled in Morrisville, VT.

Morrisville, with a population of about 2,000, is situated in Lamoille County, near Stowe, one of Vermont's premier ski and resort destinations. It is home to two country clubs and a small airport

Glass is accused of continuing to renew the prescriptions after the dosages were flagged by monitoring agencies and peer reviews as excessive or inappropriate. Investigators claim that Glass prescribed 7,560 units of 30-milligram oxycodone in 2013, that patient notes contain no record of physical examinations, and that notes considted of fewer than five handwritten pages in October, and none in November.

Authorities also allege that Glass performed no PMP lookup regarding the patient until November 11, 2015, and another on December 19, 2016, and kept renewing oxycodone prescriptions until April 8 of this year.

"The patient could not have taken all the drugs allegedly prescribed to him by this doctor and survived," Porrino said in prepared comments. "Our message to these doctors is clear; if you are not checking the PMP database, as required by the new law, we will take swift and punitive action against you."

In the case of a 43-year-old woman, Glass is accused of prescribing"dramatically high quantities" of oxycodone without keeping records of physical or diganostic tests.

Charges are accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless, and until, found guilty in a court of law.