A New Jersey oncologist pleaded guilty to using her medical license, and allowing others to use it, to purchase prescription oncology medications to sell for profit.
Anise Kachadourian, MD, was recruited by an individual who owned a pharmacy and two other businesses that were wholesale distributors of prescription drugs, according to a May 31 press release from the Justice Department. Working with this individual, Dr. Kachadourian used her medical license to purchase expensive prescription drugs — including cold-chain biologic infusion medications typically used to treat cancers and autoimmune diseases — that were sold through the two businesses. The businesses were not permitted to purchase the drugs, according to the release. In exchange for providing the medications, Dr. Kachadourian received $5,000 per month.
By purchasing the drugs, Dr. Kachadourian made false and misleading representations to the pharmaceutical manufacturers and authorized distributors that the drugs would be used to treat her patients and not resold, when in reality the two businesses sold them to their customers. Dr. Kachadourian was paid more than $170,000 for using her license to purchase millions of dollars of prescription drugs between October 2016 and January 2019.
Dr. Kachadourian is the third physician to plead guilty in connection to the scheme. In her plea agreement, she agreed to make restitution for the full amount of any loss resulting in her offenses. She is scheduled to be sentenced Feb. 6, 2024.