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August 14, 2019

Feds: Yale New Haven doctor handed out illegal oxycodone prescriptions

PHOTO | PIxabay.com
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

A former medical resident for Yale New Haven Health has been charged with unlawfully prescribing oxycodone. 

Jennifer Farrell, MD, 37, now of Chapel Hill, N.C., faces 35 counts of distribution of narcotics without a legitimate medical purpose.

A federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment against Farrell on Tuesday. She was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 31 and is currently free on $200,000 bail.

Farrell was living in New Haven when she was arrested in July. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, she worked as a medical resident in Yale’s emergency department from July 2017 until June 2019.  

Prosecutors allege that between March 2018 and March 2019, Farrell wrote at least 35 prescriptions for oxycodone. According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, the prescriptions were made out to at least five individuals, and prosecutors claim they were not for legitimate medical purposes. Farrell allegedly never saw the individuals for any medical purpose during her residency.

For example, according to the indictment, in March, Farrell wrote prescriptions for oxycodone for an individual identified in court documents by the initials “C.T.”  The indictment alleges this individual never met or received any medical assistance from Farrell, and didn’t know the prescriptions had been written. When writing the prescription, Farrell allegedly used the hospital’s code for a motorcycle crash. C.T. was not in a motorcycle crash in 2019, but hospital records showed C.T. had been treated at the hospital back in 2014 following a motorcycle crash. Another individual picked up the prescriptions without C.T.’s knowledge, court documents show.

If convicted, Farrell faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.

Her defense attorney, Kelly Barrett with the federal Public Defender’s office, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Dana Marnane, director of public relations and communications with Yale New Haven Health, issued the following statement: "We are aware that a former Yale New Haven Hospital resident was recently indicted, and we are fully cooperating with the local authorities. As soon as we became aware of the allegations, the resident was placed on administrative leave and she is no longer affiliated with the Hospital."

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com

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