Monmouth Doctor's License Suspended Over Illegal Prescriptions

NEWARK, NJ – A Monmouth County doctor was suspended indefinitely from practicing medicine on Thursday, the same day federal authorities filed new charges against him of illegally prescribing prescription drugs outside professional practice.

Martin D. Fried, 60, a pediatric gastroenterologist in Ocean Township, was charged Thursday with attempting to distribute oxycodone and distribution of Adderall and Xanax outside the usual course of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Fried, who owned and operated Healthy Days LLCin Ocean Township, was suspended by the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners from practice indefinitely, a result of his July arrest by Toms River police on charges of distribution of a controlled dangerous substance, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said.

Fried was arrested outside a Walgreens pharmacy by Toms River police on July 20, 2018. Also arrested were two of Fried’s patients, to whom he allegedly prescribed Oxycodone, alprazolam (the generic form of Xanax), and D-Amphetamine Salt Combo (the generic form of Adderall) without a legitimate medical purpose, Carpenito's office said. Fried had accompanied the two men to two pharmacies in the Toms River area to obtain oxycodone, Adderall, and alprazolam using prescriptions Fried had written. When the first pharmacy refused to fill the prescriptions, Fried and the two men went to a second pharmacy. Fried prescribed the controlled substances to men outside the usual course of professional practice and with no legitimate medical purpose, federal authorities allege.

Two days earlier, Fried had accompanied the same two men to another pharmacy obtain Adderall, Xanax, and gabapentin, using prescriptions he had written, court documents said.

Based on Fried’s prescriptions, one man obtained approximately 120 tablets of Adderall, 90 tablets of Xanax, and 120 tablets of gabapentin (a drug commonly abused with opioids because it enhances the euphoria caused by the opioid). The drugs were prescribed by Fried outside the usual course of professional practice and with no legitimate medical purpose, Carpenito's office said.

On July 31, 2018, Fried surrendered to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration his DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances. In a consent order with the N.J. Board of Medical Examiners filed in September, Fried agreed to an indefinite suspension of his medical license, pending a future demonstration of his fitness to practice, and further action by the board, Grewal's office announced.

Fried voluntarily informed the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners that he ceased practicing medicine.

Under the terms of the consent order, prior to any restoration of his license, Fried must at a minimum participate in a professional assistance treatment program and comply with the requirements of the program — including abstaining from the use of all psychoactive substances, including alcohol and medications containing alcohol, unless prescribed by a treating physician for a documented medical condition. Fried must also appear before the board to discuss his readiness to re-enter the practice of medicine, and affirmatively establish his fitness, competence and capacity to practice.

Fried had specialized in pediatric gastroenterology, and touting specialties in "nutrition," "Lyme disease and co-infection," and "genetic/DNA testing," according to Carpenito's office.

The three counts in the federal charges, which were filed Monday, each are punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater.

"We need doctors working with us, not against us, in the fight to end New Jersey’s opioid epidemic," Grewal said. "We will continue to crack down on doctors who flout prescribing laws and fuel the opioid health crisis by indiscriminately dispensing pain medications that lead to addiction."

"We have called on everyone in New Jersey to join us in battling the addiction crisis and members of the healthcare profession, above all others, have a duty to respond," said Sharon Joyce, Director of NJ CARES, NJ Coordinator for Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies. "Doctors who ignore that duty not only violate the standards of their profession, they thwart the efforts of fellow practitioners who are working hard to end this public health crisis."

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