SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WHCU) – A Tompkins County medical practice must pay over $70,000 in damages and fines.

Dr. Howard Silcoff, and Dryden Family Medical Practice, PLLC, agreed to settle to the tune of $70,377 to resolve allegations of prescribing controlled substances for non-legitimate medical purposes. Officials with the United States District Court in Syracuse say they acted outside the usual course of a professional practice, resulting in false claims submitted to Medicare, and danger to a patient.

Dr. Silcoff admitted to prescribing 35 morphine pills a day to a single patient for more than a decade, while simultaneously prescribing valium. Silcoff was advised by the patient’s Medicare prescription drug carrier that the medications should not be used together. Starting in October of 2017, Dr. Silcoff ordered drug screenings for the patient which revealed they were using cocaine and unprescribed oxycodone, but inconsistently testing positive for prescribed valium.

Dr. Silcoff made no changes to the prescription regimen for 17 months, before putting the patient on buprenorphine for opioid dependence and withdrawal symptoms.

The settlement resolves the allegations brought forth by the United States that the prescriptions were excessive and dangerous, particularly after the patient tested positive for oxycodone and cocaine. The United States further contends that the multiple negative tests for prescribed valium show the prescription had no legitimate medical purpose.

The payment will settle civil penalties under the Controlled Substance Act and reimburse Medicare.