An Ohio physician has been permanently barred from prescribing opioids and faces a multimillion-dollar judgment.
Dr. Gregory Gerber, a doctor from Sandusky, Ohio, was accused of prescribing opioids and other controlled substances without a legitimate medical purpose.
Brian Boynton, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General and head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division, remarked on Gerber’s conduct, stating, “Medical professionals who knowingly facilitate the abuse of opioids violate their legal obligations.” This statement was part of an announcement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio, highlighting the government’s efforts to pursue justice against those profiting from illegal opioid prescriptions.
According to the Sandusky Register, Gerber faced 51 counts of distributing controlled substances and two counts of healthcare fraud.
In a confession that highlighted a betrayal of the Hippocratic Oath, Gerber pleaded guilty to illegally dispensing narcotics to his patients, leading to his imprisonment and subsequent restrictions.
As for consequences, Gerber’s ability to practice medicine has been severely restricted, and he faces substantial financial penalties. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey J. Helmick ordered Gerber to pay approximately $4.7 million under the False Claims Act. Additionally, a separate criminal case resulted in a prison sentence of 42 months, followed by a year of home confinement and restitution of about $861,900. This case exposed a network of profiteering that included kickback payments from a drug manufacturer for prescribing Subsys, a potent opioid. The investigation by the DEA, FBI, and other agencies revealed a systematic and prolonged abuse of medical privilege.
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