Dr. Eric Heffelfinger, a pulmonologist who previously practiced in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, will pay $50,000 and permanently lose his ability to prescribe opioids to resolve allegations that he improperly prescribed oxycodone and split the pills with a patient for his own personal use. The settlement resolves allegations that between February 2014 and August 2016, Heffelfinger, who had a registration with the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe controlled substances, prescribed oxycodone to one patient on several occasions at least partially for the purpose of using some of the pills himself. The United States contends that such prescriptions were not written for a legitimate medical purpose and in the usual course of professional practice and were therefore illegal. Heffelfinger has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve the allegations. The settlement also permanently prevents Heffelfinger, as a physician, from ever purchasing, prescribing, distributing, or dispensing opioid controlled substances in the future and imposes a number of other accountability measures through an administrative agreement with the Drug Enforcement Administration.
