A family medicine doctor from Three Rivers, Massachusetts, has agreed to a $220,000 settlement over allegations of improper prescribing practices involving controlled substances. Dr. Stephen R. Holuk, 75, admitted to regularly prescribing schedule II-controlled substances and combining opioids with benzodiazepines and muscle relaxers for four patients. During the period in question, he issued 280 opioid prescriptions for these patients without conducting consistent functional pain or opioid risk assessments. Additionally, Dr. Holuk rarely used the Massachusetts Prescription Awareness Tool before prescribing schedule II drugs.
The Controlled Substances Act mandates that prescriptions be issued only for legitimate medical purposes within professional practice standards. U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy emphasized the risks associated with prescribing addictive opioids improperly, stating that such actions undermine efforts to combat the opioid crisis and endanger patient safety.
Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Division, noted that this settlement addresses allegations of Dr. Holuk's abuse of prescribing privileges and highlighted the ongoing drug epidemic exacerbated by illegal opioid distribution. She encouraged public reporting of prescription abuse.
Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), stressed the responsibility of medical practitioners to prescribe controlled substances responsibly for legitimate purposes and pledged continued investigation into dangerous prescribing practices.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Levy along with FBI SAC Cohen and HHS-OIG SAC Coviello. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey Ross managed the case.