OxyContin Invasion

DOCTORS COVER FOR A COLLEAGUE IN TROUBLE

Federal and state drug agents visited Dr. Richard G. Paolino on Jan. 16 to
put him on notice: Because his medical license was invalid, any
prescriptions he wrote for controlled substances would be illegal.

The warning did no good, the agents say in a police affidavit. Immediately
after they left his office, Paolino allegedly prescribed OxyContin for
their confidential informant.

Paolino later sought to hire a licensed doctor to help him cover his
lucrative practice.

Two Philadelphia doctors testified at Paolino's preliminary hearing that
they agreed to work in Paolino's office and cover for him: David E. Harmon,
53, twice arrested in recent months on drug and alcohol charges, and Wesley
Collier, a Philadelphia prison doctor and Harmon's childhood friend.
Neither knew Paolino, they said.

"He had lost his license because he didn't pay his malpractice insurance or
something like that," Harmon testified.

Harmon, who said his own medical practice was house calls made from his
Northeast Philadelphia home, said Paolino hired him for $2,500 a week.
During the two January weeks he worked in Bensalem, he testified, he did
not see a single patient. In the affidavit, investigators say Harmon
crossed Paolino's name off five to 10 blank prescription pads and signed
his own.

"I don't know much about pain management," Harmon testified. "I was relying
on Dr. Paolino's expertise."

Harmon helped Paolino find Collier to cover for another two weeks, in
February. Collier testified that he signed hundreds of blank prescriptions
and gave them to Paolino, who remained in the office, seeing patients.

Dozens of prescriptions signed by Harmon and Collier were found at
pharmacies in Bucks County and Philadelphia. Nearly all were written by
Paolino, agents said.

Investigators have not charged Harmon and Collier in the case, and state
records show both still have their medical licenses. Neither Harmon nor
Collier returned telephone calls seeking comment. Police in Lower Merion
charged Harmon in September with public intoxication and disorderly
conduct. He pleaded guilty and paid $201.50 in fines, records show. A month
later, Philadelphia police charged him with crack-cocaine possession and
driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He pleaded guilty and is
awaiting sentencing.

Collier, licensed since 1978, lost his medical license for six months in
1996 after failing to pay his own medical malpractice insurance. State
records show he was also fined $45,800.

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