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Dr. Robert Simon Mathews, 83, of Millersville, has been charged with 14 felony counts of unlawful prescription of controlled substances.
Dr. Mathews has been disciplined previously for inappropriate behavior.
He had his medical license suspended for two years and was fined $5,000 by the state medical board in 2012 for "having sex with a woman he was treating and for prescribing the woman drugs, including methadone, without properly examining her," as LNP reported at the time.
The current accusations against Mathews include prescribing medications such as Xanax, Adderall, and Subutex, but failed to follow treatment principles.
He is also accused of the following:
- Failing to provide accurate treatment
- Not keeping accurate medical records
- Failing to perform routine check-ups
- Prescribing addictive medications without counseling them on proper dosing
Mathews reportedly left examination room doors open when conducting examinations, violating confidentiality agreements and exposing routine appointments to other patients and visitors in the office.
Mathews previously had offices at 1300 Millersville Pike and at 558 North Duke Street in Lancaster.
Former patients described Mathews' office as a "pill mill," according to the PA AG.
During appointments, Mathews would coach patients to say they had medical diagnoses that were not accurate in order to justify their controlled substance usage, former patients told investigators.
A medical expert who reviewed Mathew’s patient files determined that Dr. Mathews failed to act within the scope of the patient relationship; falsified diagnoses to help patients secure high dose, high quantity, addictive medications; and failed to act in accordance with any of the treatment principles accepted by medical professionals.
“Dr. Mathews was trusted to thoughtfully write prescriptions in his patients’ best interests. Instead, he used his access to prescribe addictive medications that devastated many lives and families in Lancaster County,” said Attorney General Shapiro. “My office will continue to hold individuals accountable who recklessly put the lives of others at risk.”
Current or former patients of Mathews who need assistance because they were prescribed controlled substances and have abruptly lost care can contact the Patient Advocacy Program via email at ra-dh-advocacy@pa.gov or call 844-377-7367.
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