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Office of indicted doctor to reopen Thursday

Posted at 12:00 PM, Apr 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-04-28 14:50:43-04

The Williamsville office of Dr. Eugene Gosy, who federal prosecutors say ran a pain management clinic responsible for helping to fuel the opioid addiction crisis in Western New York, will reopen Thursday morning at 7 a.m.

A message on the website of Gosy and Associates Pain Treatment and Neurology LLP states the following:

"We are aware of your needs and apologize for any inconveniences the current position our practice has been placed in may have caused you. The office will be closed for appointments Wednesday 4/27/16 and will resume all patient appointments as scheduled Thursday 4/28/16. Please continue to follow office policy regarding all refill requests."

Dr. Gosy, 55, of Clarence has been indicted on 114 counts, including charges of conspiracy to distribute controlled substance, unlawful distribution of narcotics and health care fraud.

U.S. Attorney William Hochul says Gosy "took advantage of his medical license and the trust placed in him by patients, and created a highly sophisticated criminal enterprise."

Hochul says Gosy "falsified his participation in required medical training, directed unqualified staff to authorize prescriptions, and supplied patients with dangerous controlled substances contradicted by the patient's condition."

Gosy is accused of turning his patients into dependents. DEA Special Agent in Charges James Hunt called his clinic a "modern day version of [a] 19th Century opium [den]."

One week before his indictment, there was a post on the doctor's Facebook page touting how he has integrated a "prescription monitoring program into his practice" and his commitment to treating patients "in an effective and safe manner."

But Hochul says those claims are false. Gosy is accused of operating his pain management clinic in a variety of manners contrary to accepted medical practice, including:

  • Issuing prescriptions to patients despite obvious signs of abuse and misuse
  • Falsifying completion of training requirements and directing staff to complete online courses for him
  • Signing blank prescriptions and directing untrained staff to fill out the remaining information, including drug and dosage
  • Creating and using a telephone prescription renewal process that allowed patients to obtain controlled substances from staff not medically trained or certified and without medical review
  • Prescribing buprenorphine under the cover of pain management to circumvent federal regulations limited the number of patients that any given doctor may treat (100 patients)

Gosy is also accused of defrauding insurance companies who paid the NYS Workers' Compensation claims, including the NYS Insurance Fund. Hochul says Gosy was traveling outside the area, but signed claims for the treatment of patients submitted by staff.

If convicted of the charges, Gosy faces up to 20 years and possibly face a fine of $1 million.