Cranston Doctor Suspended for Bogus Prescriptions

A local doctor's license has been voluntarily suspended after an investigation showed he prescribed large quantities of narcotics to people who weren't his patients, had no medical records, or were prescribed drugs after "a failure to meet the minimal standards of acceptable care," according to a state Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline consent order.

In one instance, one patient was prescribed 814 days of narcotics in 356 calendar days.

Edward Cullen, 63, has been licensed to practice medicine in Rhode Island since 1983 and works at the Garden City Treatment Center.

The Board of Pharmacy began an investigation after a complaint alleged that Cullen "was prescribing large amounts of Drug Enforcement Agency Schedule II and III drugs which did not appear to have legitimate medical purposes," the order states.

The medical licensing board undertook a "more expansive" review of Cullen's activities after a second complaint. The board reviewed 19 "patient" records for review.

Those records showed Cullen wrote prescriptions for OxyContin and Vicodin for two people who were never his patients and "for whom no patient charts existed" multiple prescriptions that were not documented.

Other prescriptions were given to patients "who are using opioids chronically" and written after "a lack of a meaningful physical examination" and "troubling decision-making."

The consent order was signed by Cullen on May 4. His license will remain suspended until "further order of the board" which relies upon "completion of additional training and any other steps deemed necessary to allow for reconsideration of this order."