Philadelphia

3 Doctors Accused of Illegally Selling Prescription Drugs to Dealers and Addicts

Three local doctors are accused of illegally selling commonly abused prescription drugs to both dealers and addicts in our area.

Dr. Alan Summers, 78, of Ambler, Dr. Azad Khan, 63, of Villanova and Dr. Keyhosrow Parsia, 79, of Ridley Park, are all charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, distribution of controlled substances, health care fraud and money laundering.

Dr. Summers operated a medical clinic on South Broad Street in Philadelphia and sometimes operated under the name National Association for Substance Abuse-Prevention & Treatment (NASAPT), according to an indictment filed Wednesday. Officials say Dr. Summers employed several other doctors including Dr. Khan and Dr. Parsia. The three doctors allegedly sold prescriptions of Suboxone – a drug used to treat opiate addiction -- and Klonopin – an anti-anxiety medication -- in exchange for cash without conducting medical or mental health examinations, which is required by law.

The indictment accuses Dr. Summers of helping his customers obtain health insurance benefits for the drugs by providing false information to health insurance companies. Officials say many of the doctor’s customers were drug addicts or drug dealers who sold the medication. 

“These doctors capitalized on the addiction epidemic that is typically responsible for numerous deaths across our region,” said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent-in-Charge Gary Tuggle.  “The DEA will remain vigilant in pursuing investigations in an effort to combat this serious public health crisis.”

During his operation, Dr. Summers illegally sold over $5 million worth of controlled substances, according to investigators.

“We have a public health crisis in this county involving prescription drug abuse that is exacerbated by doctors like these defendants,” said United States Attorney Zane David Memeger. “Every doctor who abandons his or her ethics to engage in the prescription-for-pay culture is breaking the law. They need to ask themselves whether it is worth the money to put people in danger, to risk the loss of their medical licenses, and to lose their freedom. Our office will continue to investigate and prosecute those individuals whose unscrupulous and illegal conduct contributes to this deadly epidemic.” 

NBC10 reached out to Dr. Summers’ attorney, Carrie Cinquanto, for comment.

“The medical treatment provided by Dr. Summers was medically necessary and met the generally accepted standards of medical practice,” Cinquanto wrote in an email. “Dr. Summers is innocent of these charges and is looking forward to his day in court.”

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