A complaint filed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation against Raman I. Popli — a general practitioner who has worked in the McHenry area for more than 14 years — claims that he was "inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to the patients of his private practice."
A complaint filed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation against Raman I. Popli — a general practitioner who has worked in the McHenry area for more than 14 years — claims that he was "inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to the patients of his private practice."
Original Title
Court documents related to McHenry doctor who had license suspended
A complaint filed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation against Raman I. Popli — a general practitioner who has worked in the McHenry area for more than 14 years — claims that he was "inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to the patients of his private practice."
A complaint filed by the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation against Raman I. Popli — a general practitioner who has worked in the McHenry area for more than 14 years — claims that he was "inappropriately prescribing controlled substances to the patients of his private practice."
STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
of the State of Illinois,
)
)
Complainant, }
v. } No, 2017-2513,
Raman Popli, M.D., ) ea
License No. 036-104035, } =
CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. ) 3
a
NOTICE OF TEMPORARY SUSPENSI 5
=
To: Raman I. Popli, M.D. 3
5415 Bull Valley Road, 1* Floor a
McHenry, IL 60050
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that the Director of the Division of Professional
Regulation of the State of Illinois signed the attached ORDER which provides that your
Ilinois Physician and Surgeon License No. 036-104035 and Illinois Controlled
‘Substance License No. 336-064820 are TEMPORARILY SUSPENDED. A copy of the
ORDER, Petition, Complaint and Affidavit on which it is based, is ettached,
FURTHERMORE, on Mareh 17, 2017 at 10:
am the Medical Disciplinary
Board of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois,
will hold a hearing at 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 9-300, Chicago, Illinois 60601, to
determine the truth of the charges set forth in the attached Complaint. At the hearing
you will be given an opportunity to present such statements, testimony, evidence and
argument as may be pertinent to or in defense to the charges.
Itis required that you appear at the hearing unless the matteris continued in
advance, Failure to attend the hearing at the time and place as stated above may result in
a decision being made, in your absence, to continue the suspension of your license. You
hhave the right to retain counsel to represent you in this matter and, in the opinion of this
Department; it is advisable to be represented by a lawyer.Itis required that you file a VERIFED ANSWER to the attached Complaint with
the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation by the date of the hearing.
No CONTINUANCE of a hearing will be granted except at the discretion of the
‘Committee or Board. A written motion for continuance must be served on the
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation at least three (3) business days
before the date set for the Hearing and must set forth the reasons why holding the hearing
on the date indicated will cause undue hardship.
‘Your ANSWER, your lawyer's APPEARANCE, and all MOTIONS or papers
should be filed with the Clerk of the Court of the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation, at 100 W. Randolph Street, Suite 9-300, Chicago, IL. 60601.
RULES OF PRACTICE IN ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS IN THE
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION BEFORE
COMMITTEES OR BOARDS OF SAID DEPARTMENT are accessible at
httov/www.idfpr.com/PROFS /Info/Physicians.asp or available upon request.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of
inois
Laura E. Forester
Chief of Medical Prosecution
Vladimir Lozovskiy
Staff Attormey
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Division of Professional Regulation
100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300
Chicago, Ilinois 60601
312/814-1691STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
)
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION )
of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) oa
¥ )No. 2017-02513
Raman Popli, M.D., ) 5
License No. 036-104035, ) 3
CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. ) 2
3
ORDER ee
am
This matter having come before the Director of the Division of Professional
Regulation of the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation on a
Petition filed by the Chief of Medical Prosecutions of the Division which requested
Temporary Suspension of the licenses of Respondent, and the Director, having examined
the Petition, finds that the publi
interest, safety and welfare imperatively require
emergency action to prevent the continued practice of Raman Popli, M.D., Respondent,
in that Respondent's actions constitute an immediate danger to the public.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JESSICA BAER, DIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OF
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of Illinois, hereby ORDER that the
Illinois Physician and Surgeon License No. 036-104035 and the Illinois Controlled
Substance License No. 336-064820 of Respondent, Raman Popli, M.D., to practice
medicine as a Physician and Surgeon in the State of Illinois be SUSPENDED, pending
proceedings before an Administrative Law Judge at the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation and the Medical Disciplinary Board of the State of Illinois
| FURTHER ORDER that Respondent shall immediately surrender all indicia of
licensure to the Department,DATED THIS {3 DAY OF AAa sc: » 2017.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of
the State of Mlinois, Bryan A. Schneider,
Secretary
Division of Professional Regulations
JESSICABAER
Ref: IDFPR Case No. 2017-02513
License No. 036-104035 and
CS License No, 336-064820STATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
)
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION ) 4
of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) a
vy ) No. 2017-2513
Raman Popli, M.D., )
License No. 036-104035, )
CS License No, 336-064820 Respondent. )
go:zind &1 WH Lb
PETITION FOR TEMPORARY SUSPENSION
NOW COMES the Complainant, by its Chief of Medical Prosecutions. Laura
E, Forester, and Petitions JESSICA BAER, Director of the Division of Professional
Regulation, Department of Financial and Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois,
pursuant to 225 ILCS 60/37 to issue an Order for Temporary Suspension of the Illinois
Physician and Surgeon License and the Illinois Controlled Substance License of Raman
Popli, M.D., Respondent. In support of said Petition, Petitioner alleges as follows:
1. Respondent is presently the holder of a Certificate of Registration as a Physician
and Surgeon in the State of Illinois, License No. 036-104035, and Controlled
Substance License No. 336-064820 issued by the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation of the State of Ili
is. Said Licenses are presently in.
active status.
2. Information has come to the Department's attention that Respondent was
inappropriately prescribing Controlled Substances to the patients of his private
practice,
In the course of the U.S, Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration
(DEA), Chicago Field Office investigation of Respondent, the DEA obtainedinformation from a source of information (SOI) that he/she was purchasing
Controlled Substances from one of the patients of Respondent's practice, patient
S., who was getting multiple Controlled Substances from Respondent. The same
SOI indicated that patient S.S. informed said SOI that he/she can go see Respondent,
give Respondent patient $.S.’s name and a fake story and that Respondent would
give said SOI whatever he/she wants.
. In the summer 2016, the DEA Chicago Field Office also received a complaint from
4 local pharmacist regarding Respondent's overprescribing of Controlled Substances
to the patients of his private practice.
Subsequently, the DEA Chicago Field Office conducted two undercover office visits
whereby both undercover officers (UC) received Controlled Substances from
Respondent during the initial office visits while presenting with multiple red flags to
Respondent:
a, On or about July 25, 2016, a North Chicago Police Department Officer
posing as a patient (UC #1) presented to Respondent’s office and obtained
Noreo, a schedule I Controlled Substance, from Respondent. During the
office visit, UC# 1 indicated that he/she had no pain, but rather tendemess in
the shoulder area, During the exam of the shoulder, UC #1 indicated that
none of the areas that Respondent checked generated any pain, but were
rather iritable, During the office visit, UC#1 also informed Respondent that
he/she was getting Norco from his “buddy” for approximately a year and a
half, Moreover, UC#1 asked for Norco and Respondent proceeded to
authorize a prescription for Noreo 5/325 mg in the amount of 30 tablets forUC #1. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I contacted Respondent's office
and was informed that Respondent is no longer going to see him/her and that
the letter was sent to UC#I address of record.
b. On or about August 10, 2016, a DEA Task Force Officer (TFO) posing as
a patient (UC#2) presented to Respondent's office and obtained Norco, a
schedule If Controlled Substance, from Respondent. During the office visit,
UC# 2 indicated that he/she has been taking Norco on and off for three (3)
months for left elbow soumess. UC# 2 indicated that he/she has been getting
Norco from some guy and on the intemet. During the office visit,
Respondent proceeded to authorize a prescription for Norco 5/325 mg in the
amount of 20 tablets for UC#2. On August 17, 2016, UCH2 presented to
Respondent's office after he/she was informed that Respondent was
discharging UC#2 from his practice.
c. On August 17, 2016, UC#2 received a letter signed by Respondent that
contained false information, including the following:
i. Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others)
and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred
toa pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic
pain medications to you. See Department's Exhibit A, attached
hereto and made a part of this Petition,
6. A review of the Illinois Prescription Monitoring Program (PMP) revealed that
between June 2014 and May 2016, Respondent purportedly authorized and/orprescribed over 350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) dosage units
of controlled substances, including the following:
a. over 167, 000 (one hundred sixty-seven thousand) dosage nits of
Hydrocodone-based Controlled Substances;
b. over 86, 000 (eighty-six thousand) dosage units of Xanax;
c. over 50, 000 (fifty thousand) dosage units of Oxycodone-based Controlled
‘Substances;
4. over 28,0000 (twenty-eight thousand) dosage units of Klonopi
7. In addition, the DEA investigation identified approximately thirty (30) patients of
Respondent's practice that were prescribed a combination of drugs by Respondent
known as a “Holy Trinity” cocktail which gives the user the effect and euphoria
of heroin use.
8. In August 2017, DEA agents interviewed multiple pharmacists in Respondent's
area and leamed that at least two area pharmacists complained to Respondent
about his Controlled Substance prescribing habits.
a. A CVS Pharmacist at 3900 West Elm Street, McHenry, Illinois,
indicated that Respondent prescribed a high amount of Schedule II
Controlled Substances as a general practitioner. Moreover, said CVS
pharmacist advised that he called Respondent approximately three (3)
times in the last couple of months about Respondent's patients getting,
early refills and improper prescribing issues;
b. A Walmart Pharmacist at 3801 Running Brook Farm Blvd, Johnsburg,
Illinois, indicated that Walmart has a corporate list of doctors whoprescribe high amount of Norcos and Respondent was on the list. She
advised that she contacted Respondent 6-7 months ago to let him know
that he was flagged in the Walmart system and was on the list of doctors
who prescribe a high amount of Controlled Substances. She informed
Respondent that as a general practitioner, he should start referring his
patients to a pain clinic to keep from getting in trouble with the DEA.
9., On or about February 14, 2017, Respondent was interviewed by DEA Special
Agent Heather Boone and TFO Benny Ranallo. During the interview, Respondent
initially lied to DEA agents and indicated that he never prescribed Hydrocodone
on the first visit to a new patient. Even when Respondent was informed that the
DEA had two undercover officers who posed as new patients and were prescribed
Hydrocodone on the first visit, Respondent indicated that it did not happen
because he always checked the PMP to see if the new patient was already taking
Hydrocodone and if they were not, Respondent would not prescribe to them.
10. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted by the TFO
with a prescription for Hydrocodone that UC received during the first office visit
and Respondent admitted that it was his signature,
11. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted with the
discharge letter UC#2 received in August 2016 and Respondent indicated that he
made up the letter so he would not have to see the patients because Respondent
did not like confrontations. During the interview, Respondent also indicated that
he did not see anything wrong with him prescribing narcotics to the patients once
and then sending them the discharge letters because Respondent did not like12,
13.
14.
confrontations and admitted to sending letters to approximately thirty (30)
patients over the past year. When asked by TFO Ranallo why Respondent
prescribed to approximately 30 people that Respondent did not think needed the
medications, Respondent indicated that he did not think that there was anything
‘wrong with that because he only prescribed one time for new patients.
During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with information
indicating that he was prescribing almost twice the amount of Hydrocodone
(approximately 167,000) compared to the second highest Controlled Substance,
Xanax (approximately 86,000). Subsequently, Respondent was asked why he was
prescribing a high amount of Hydrocodone for his patients when he wasn’t a pain
specialist, Respondent did not have a response except to continually ask if his
prescribing was high for a doctor.
At the conclusion of the February 14, 2017 interview, Respondent was asked to
surrender his DEA Registration for cause. To date, Respondent has not
surrendered his DEA Registration and continues to have an unrestricted ability to
prescribe Controlled Substances.
Brian Zachariah, M.D., Chief Medical Coordinator of the Ilinois Department of
Financial and Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation, has
been consulted in this matter and believes that the continued practice of medicine
by Respondent, Raman Popli, M.D., presents an immediate danger to the safety of
the public in the State of Illinois. See Department’s Exhibit B, attached hereto and
made a part of this Petition.
Petitioner further alleges that the public interest, safety and welfare imperativelyrequire emergency action, in that Respondent's continued practice of medicine
constitutes an immediate danger to the public.
WHEREFORE, Petitioner prays that the Illinois Physician and Surgeon License
and the Illinois Controlled Substance Licenses of Raman Popli, M.D., be Temporarily
Suspended pending proceedings before the Medical Disciplinary Board of the State of
Ulinois.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION of the State of
ois
ht
Laura E, Forester
Chief of Medical Prosecutions
Vladimir Lozovskiy
Staff Attomey, Medical Prosecutions Unit
Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Division of Professional Regulation
100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300
Chicago, Illinois 60601
312/814-1691Dr Raman Popli and Associates
5415 Bull Valley Road
McHenry IL 60050
Tel# 615 363 6055
Faxi# 815 363 6150
‘am writing to you to let you know that I will no longer be able provide my services to
you. As you know the abuse of pain medications has reached an epidemic proportion
and to counter that the DEA has been tightening their control and oversight of these
medications. Your name has been fiagged by the DEA (along with a few others) and I
have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred to a pain specialist and that
I should not be prescribing chronic pain medications to you.
‘Things being what they are, I cannot afford to get in
trouble with the Federal Government. So I have no choice but to terminate our
relationship.
willbe providing you emergency medical care only for
the next thirty days. I will be happy to forward your medical records to the physician of
your choice,
Datea: $76
a
“oe
a
a AYSTATE OF ILLINOIS:
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND )
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION )
of the State of Illinois, Complainant, )
v. ) No, 2017-2513
Raman Popli, M.D., )
License No. 036-104035, )
CS License No, 336-064820 Respondent. )
AEFIDAVIT OF BRIAN ZACHARIAH, M.D.
1, Brian Zachariah, M.D., being duly swom upon oath, depose and make this Affidavit on
my personal knowledge, and if swom as a witness in this matter I would competently testify to the
following facts:
1. Lam a Physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of Illinois. I have been a licensed
Physician for approximately twenty-nine years.
Lam currently Chief Medical Coordinator of the Illinois Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation, Division of Professional Regulation.
3. Thave reviewed investigative documents pertaining to the Respondent provided by the US)
Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago Field Office (DEA),
including interviews of Respondent, analysis of Respondent's Illinois Prescription
Monitoring Program prescription profile, interviews with pharmacists and reports regarding
undercover activities at Respondent's practice.
4. After the review of the aforementioned information, I am of the opinion within a reasonable
degree of medical certainty that the continued practice of medicine by Raman Popli, M.D.,
presents an immediate danger to the safety of the public in the State of Illinois,
EXHIBIT
1BSubs
this
ind sworn to before me
_day of March 2017,
Brian Z
Affiant
OFFICIAL SEAL
KATHLEEN Id WALSH
_NATARY PUBLIC. STATE OF MLNOIS
YCORMNSS IN EAPPES GENTSTATE OF ILLINOIS
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATIO
DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND )
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION )
of the State of Illinois, ‘Complainant, ) e
v ) No. 2017-2513
Raman Popli, M.D., ) 3
License No. 036-104035, )
CS License No. 336-064820 Respondent. )
COMPLAINT ae
NOW COMES the DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL
REGULATION, DIVISION OF PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of
Illinois, by its Chief of Medical Prosecutions, Laura E. Forester, and as its COMPLAINT.
against Raman Popli, M.D., Respondent, complains as follows:
COUNTI
1. Respondent is presently the holder of a Certificate of Registration as a Physician
and Surgeon in the State of Illinois, License No. 036-104035, and Controlled
Substance License No. 336-064820 issued by the Department of Financial and
Professional Regulation of the State of Illinois. Said licenses are presently in
Active status.
2, ‘That the Department has jurisdiction to investigate complaints and to bring this
action pursuant to 225 ILCS 60/36.
3. Between June 2014 and May 2016, Respondent purportedly authorized and/or
prescribed over 350,000 (three hundred and fifty thousand) dosage _units
of Controlled Substances, including the following:
Page | of 10a, over 167, 000 (one hundred sixty-seven thousand) dosage units of
Hydrocodone-based Controlled Substances;
, over 86, 000 (eighty-six thousand) dosage units of Xanax;
¢. over 50, 000 (fifty thousand) dosage units of Oxycodone-based Controlled
Substances;
4. over 28,0000 (twenty-cight thousand) dosage units of Klonopin.
. On or about July 25, 2016, a North Chicago Police Department Officer posing as a
patient (UC #1) presented to Respondent's office for an initial office visit.
. During said July 25, 2016 office visit, UC#1 provided the following information to
Respondent:
1, Helshe has continuous discomfort at the area of left shoulder,
b. He/she had been receiving Norco tablets from a friend;
c. There is no pain in his shoulder, the area was just tender,
4d. When Respondent asked UC#I how bad was the pain in the shoulder,
UC#I indicated that there was not any pain, but rather a tendemess in the
area;
. During examination, UC#I notified Respondent that none of the spots
checked generated any pain, but were rather initable;
£ UC#I confirmed that he/she had been receiving Norco from a buddy;
g, UCHI indicated that he/she was taking Norco for approximately a year
and a half;
h. UCH indicated that he/she was taking approximately 2 Norco
tablets/daily;
Page 2 of 10i. UCHI indicated that he tried Tbuprofen and it did not work;
j. UC#I indicated that he/she was not sure what dose of Norco he/she was
taking.
6. On or about July 25, 2016, Respondent proceeded to authorize a prescription for
Norco 5/325 mg in the amount of 30 tablets for UC #1.
7. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I contacted Respondent's office and was
informed that he/she had been taken out of the system and Respondent would not:
see UC#I in the future.
8. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#I was informed that Respondent's office mailed
UC#I a letter which purportedly contained the following misleading information:
a. Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others)
and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred
to a pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic
pain medications to you.
9. On or about August 10, 2016, a DEA Task Force Officer posing as a patient (UC #2)
presented to Respondent's office for an initial office visit.
10. During August 10, 2016 office visit, UC#2 provided the following information to
Respondent:
a. Helshe was experiencing soreness atthe left elbow;
b. IC#2 informed Respondent that he has been getting Norco from some guy
and on the internet;
c, He/she has been taking Norco on/off for about three months;
Page 3 of 104. When asked if he/she has taken anything else, UC#2 indicated that he/she
only takes Norco because it works;
e. UC#2 was working in the area and heard from the guy named Jeff that
Respondent was taking new patients;
f. UCH2 requested that Respondent write prescriptions.
11, On or about August 10, 2016, Respondent authorized Norco 5/325 mg in the
amount of 20 tablets for UC#2.
12. On or about August 15, 2016, UCH2 contacted Respondent's office and was
informed that he/she was blocked and Respondent would not be treating UC#2 in
the future.
13. On or about August 15, 2016, UC#2 was informed by Respondent's office personnel
that the letter was sent to UC#2"s address explaining the reasons why Respondent
was not going to see UC#2.
14, On or about August 17, 2016, UC#2 presented to Respondent's office and obtained
a copy of the letter that was sent by Respondent. See Department’s Exhibit A,
attached hereto and made a part of this Complaint.
15, On or about August 17, 2016, UC#2 received a letter which contained the following
tisleading information:
1, Your name has been flagged by the DEA (along with a few others)
and I have been informed by the DEA that you need to be referred.
to a pain specialist and that I should not be prescribing chronic
pain medications to you.
Page 4 of 1016. On or about February 14, 2017, Respondent was interviewed by DEA Special
Agent Heather Boone and TFO Benny Ranallo.
17. At the beginning of the interview, SA Boone informed Respondent that he was
the subject of a DEA Investigation after a concerned pharmacist from McHenry
contacted DEA to report Respondent's overprescribing of Controlled Substances
along with patients getting early refills more than once per month.
18, During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with the
information indicating that he was prescribing almost twice the amount of
Hydrocodone (approximately 167,000) compared to the second highest
Controlled Substance, Xanax (approximately 86,000).
19. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was provided with information
that he authorized approximately 1800 prescriptions for Hydrocodone-based
Controlled Substances and approximately 1500 prescriptions for Xanax.
20. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was asked why he was
prescribing a high amount of Hydrocodone for his patients when he wasn’t a pain
specialist and Respondent did not have a response except to continually ask if his
prescribing was high for a doctor.
21. When asked why Respondent had 250 patients from Wisconsin receiving
Controlled Substances, Respondent did not think that 250 patients from
Wisconsin was alarming since Wisconsin was close by.
22, When Respondent was asked about early refills for patient J.S., Respondent
indicated that he did not give early prescriptions and that he checked the PMP so
this did not happen.
Page $ of 1023. Respondent was notified that he prescribed Norco 10/325 mg in the amount of
120 tablets for patient J.S. on the following dates:
a, January 23, 2016;
b. February 16, 2016;
c. March 14, 2016;
d. April 6, 2016;
¢. May 1, 2016;
£. May 19, 2016;
g. May 28, 2016;
h. June 15, 2016;
uly 5, 2016;
j. July 15,2016.
24, During the interview, Respondent indicated that patient J.S. had issues with her
back and needed medications.
25. When asked to log on to show DEA agents that Respondent had access to the
Illinois PMP, Respondent logged on his laptop.
26. After Respondent logged on to the Illinois PMP, Respondent began to perspire on
his face which led to actual sweat dripping from his forehead.
27. When Respondent was shown a list of 29 patients who were receiving the “Trinity
Combo” of medications, Respondent indicated that he understood what “Trinity
Combo” was,
28. When asked why patient J.G. received 4,161 tablets of Morphine Sulfate, 3,120
tablets of Soma, 3000 tablets of Oxycodone, 2,255 tablets of Xanax and 180
Page 6 of 1030.
31.
32.
33,
34.
tablets of Valium over two (2) year period, Respondent indicated that patient J.G.
also had a back problem.
). When asked if Respondent thought any of his patients were abusing the drugs he
prescribed, Respondent indicated that he suspected that patient J.S. might have
had a problem and is now on a medication to help her with opioid addiction.
When asked if Respondent ever received a call from a pharmacist informing,
Respondent that he was overprescribing and he should start referring patients to a
pain specialist, Respondent was emphatic that he never spoken to any
pharmacists,
When informed that DEA agents spoken to local pharmacist who told them that
she called Respondent approximately one year ago and informed Respondent that
he was on the top of the list of doctors who prescribe the most Hydrocodone and
advised Respondent that he needs to start telling his patients to see a pain
specialist or DEA would start investigating him, Respondent indicated that he did
not remember that conversation.
When asked by DEA agents if Respondent ever prescribed Hydrocodone on the
first visit to a new patient, Respondent indicated that he never prescribed
Hydrocodone on the first visit to a new patient.
. Respondent indicated that he would have checked the PMP first to see if the new
patient was already taking Hydrocodone, and if they were not, he would not
prescribe it to new patients.
When Respondent was informed that DEA had two undercover officers who
posed as new patients and were prescribed Hydrocodone on the first visit without
Page 7 of 10X-rays or much of an examination, Respondent indicated that it did not happen
because he always checked the PMP.
35. During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was confronted by TFO
Ranallo with a prescription for Hydrocodone that UC#2 received during the first
office visit, Respondent admitted that it was his signature,
36, During the aforementioned interview, Respondent was shown the discharge letter
UCH#2 received in August 2016, (See Department's Exhibit A, attached hereto and
made a part of this Complaint).
37. Respondent indicated that he made up the letter so he would not have to see the
patients because Respondent did not like confrontations.
38, Respondent indicated that he did not want to tell no to patients on the first visit, so
Respondent would give patients prescriptions for Schedule i and then send out
the letter to terminate the relationship.
39, During the interview, Respondent indicated that he did not see anything wrong
with him prescribing narcotics to the patients once and then sending them the
discharge letters because Respondent did not like confrontations.
40. Respondent admitted to sending letters to approximately thirty (30) new patients
over the past year.
41. When asked by TFO Ranallo why Respondent prescribed to approximately thirty
(30) people that Respondent did not think needed the medications, Respondent
indicated that he did not think that there was anything wrong with that because he
only prescribed one time for new patients.
Page 8 of 1042, During the interview, DEA agents also informed Respondent that one of his
Patients was selling Controlled Substances prescribed by Respondent and that
Respondent's patient/dealer was indicating that people can go to Respondent's
office with a fake story and Respondent would give whatever people wanted,
whether it was pain pills, Valium, etc.
43. At the conclusion of the February 14, 2017 interview, Respondent was asked to
surrender his DEA Registration for cause,
44. To date, Respondent has not surrendered his DEA Registration and continues to
have an unrestricted ability to prescribe Controlled Substances,
45. The foregoing acts and/or omissions are grounds for revocation or suspension of a
Certificate of Registration pursuant to 225 Illinois Compiled Statutes, Section
60/22(A), paragraphs (5), (17) and (33).
WHEREFORE, based on the foregoing allegations, the DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCIAL AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of Illinois, by Laura E, Forester, Chief of
Medical Prosecutions, prays that the Ilinois Physician and Surgeon License and Illinois
Controlled Substance License of Raman I. Popli, M.D., be suspended, revoked, or
otherwise disciplined.
DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL AND
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, DIVISION OF
PROFESSIONAL REGULATION, of the State of
u
==
Laura E. Forester
Chief of Medical Prosecution
Page 9 of 10Vladimir Lozovskiy
Staff Attorney, Medical Prosecutions Unit
Department of Financial and Professional Regulation
Division of Professional Regulation
100 West Randolph, Suite 9-300
Chicago, Illinois 60601
312/814-1691
Page 10 of 10