Old Saybrook – The local doctor whose office was raided earlier this week by federal, state and local authorities has had his controlled substance registration suspended by the state Department of Consumer Protection.

Jerry Farrell Jr., the commissioner of the state DCP, issued a summary suspension of Dr. Scott W. Houghton’s license to prescribe controlled substances and ordered a hearing to determine if the suspension should become permanent.

"We have strong reason to believe that Dr. Scott Houghton has prescribed prescription substances including Demerol, Percocet, Valium and Fentanyl for a patient in a frequency that exceeds his own directions for use," Farrell said in a news release today. "We also believe that Dr. Houghton prescribed other controlled substances for additional patients in a frequency that exceeds his own directions for use."

He also said that Houghton failed to prescribe controlled substances in good faith and posed "an imminent threat to the public health, safety and welfare, and requiring immediate emergency action."

Suspending or revoking a controlled substance registration prevents a doctor from being able to prescribe a number of drugs including barbiturates, many sedatives, most painkillers, said Claudette Carveth, a DCP spokeswoman. A doctor would still be able to practice medicine, but prescribing privileges would be reduced. Antibiotics and mild painkillers would be allowed.

A summary suspension is an immediate action taken, without a hearing, which makes the permit or registration inactive and must be taken only when the DCP finds that public health, safety or welfare imperatively requires immediate action, Farrell has said.

On Tuesday, authorities executed a search-and-seizure warrant at Premier Medical Associates at 929 Boston Post Road.

Officers were carrying boxes of paper out of the office, which is on the second and third floors of the complex. No arrests were made, police said.

Agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration, federal Department of Health and Human Services, Food and Drug Administration, state Drug Control Division, state Department of Public Health and town police were on scene.

Houghton has been a licensed physician in Connecticut since 2004, according to records from the state Department of Public Health.

He was not immediately available for comment, his office said.

Houghton will be able to appeal his suspension at the hearing set for Feb. 23.