Pain specialist fined for prescription violations

A Norwich pain specialist and surgeon waived his right to a hearing and will owe $7,500 in fines for failing to secure his prescription pad and for signing blank prescriptions for patients in 2015 and 2016.

The state Medical Examining Board released a consent order showing it reprimanded John Paggioli over the security of his prescription pad, for signing a blank prescription and for holding controlled substances in his office for more than one patient, it said in a consent order that Paggioli signed.

Paggioli did not admit any wrongdoing by signing the order but relinquished his right to contest the allegations.

The Drug Control Division of the state Department of Consumer Protection first investigated Paggioli in relation to the alleged violations in 2016. During the investigation Paggioli, one of the region’s few pain management doctors, surrendered his federal and state permits to prescribe narcotics for six months.

He said in an email in January that his prescribing license had been fully restored after six months, and state licensing records show his license to prescribe controlled substances is active as of June 2017.

Paggioli did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. A voicemail message at his Norwich office said the practice, Eastern Connecticut Pain Treatment Center, is on vacation.

The document Paggioli signed says he has implemented a corrective action plan to address the alleged violations of Connecticut state law and has undergone relevant education.

The medical board also fined Paggioli $4,000 in 2016, also for failing to secure his prescription pads before and during August 2015.

In December 2015, he reached an agreement with the state consumer protection department placing him on probation for four years. He paid a $20,000 fine and if any violations of regulations regarding narcotics or medical practice occurred during that time, his controlled substance permit would be suspended, according to the agreement.