Nutley Doctor Stripped of Ability to Prescribe Controlled Substances

A Nutley Doctor was one of 12 New Jersey doctors stripped of their ability to prescribe Controlled Dangerous Substances by state investigators.

Michael Durante, who practiced in Nutley, agreed to stop the practice of medicine pending the resolution of federal criminal proceedings in 2011. In June 2013 he was found guilty of criminal conspiracy to distribute oxycodone.

According to evidence presented during the trial, Durante regularly sold oxycodone prescriptions to individuals who resold the drugs on the street for a profit.  According to allegations in the Federal criminal complaint, he accepted cash and other items in exchange for prescriptions.

The Division of Consumer Affairs grants CDS registration, which doctors need to prescribe controlled substances such as Oxycodone.

Acting Attorney General Hoffman said revocation of a physician’s CDS registration provides an extra layer of public protection, should the revoked doctor ask the Board of Medical Examiners for a reinstatement of his or her medical license.

Even if the Board restores the doctor’s license to practice medicine, doctors would still need to apply to the Consumer Affairs Director for reinstatement of his or her CDS registration and demonstrate why restoration would be in the public interest.

In a press release, Consumer Affairs Director Eric T. Kanefsky compared the doctors whose CDS registrations had been revoked to street drug dealers and said that requiring them to appear in front of both the Board of Medical Examiners and the Director of Consumer Affairs protected the public. 

“They will need to demonstrate that they can be trusted with the responsibility they once abdicated,” Kanefsky said.