What You Need To Know
On December 13, 2024, The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) was informed of a
prescriber disruption involving a Gloucester County-based medical doctor and nurse practitioner
who prescribed controlled dangerous substances (CDS), including opioids, benzodiazepines,
medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and some stimulants.
This incident has led to a disruption in access to CDS for an estimated 450 patients, leaving patients at-risk for withdrawal symptoms due to an abrupt discontinuation of these medications and overdose if they turn to the illicit drug market. Abrupt withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be life-threatening. This health alert is being issued to alert providers to the potential health concerns for impacted patients.
It is critical that patients who are prescribed CDS who lose access to their prescribing provider are re-connected to healthcare services as quickly as possible. Patients with a primary care provider should be encouraged to contact them immediately to discuss next steps in care. If the patient does not have a primary care provider, they should be encouraged to call the number on the back of their insurance card to receive help in finding an in-network provider to continue receiving care. Patients without health insurance coverage can be seen at a community health center by visiting findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov.
For more information, please contact Amanda Gan at the New Jersey Department of Health at Amanda.Gan@doh.nj.gov