Westbrook physician Scott Houghton was arraigned this morning in Middlesex Superior Court on 47 counts involving illegal prescription of various narcotics.

The Drug Control Division of the state Department of Consumer Protection alleges that Houghton wrote multiple overlapping prescriptions for patients without proper monitoring and which were not medically necessary.

An arrest warrant affidavit alleges that Houghton, who practiced for years in Old Saybrook, supplied individuals with prescriptions during visits that lasted only a few minutes and at times has handled prescriptions for narcotics and controlled substances in the hallway of his office without a medical visit or evaluation.

Houghton is accused of writing prescriptions in exchange for cash, gifts and favors.

The affidavit also alleges he continued to prescribe narcotics after receiving reports that the patients were abusing or selling the prescription drugs and also that he was storing narcotics in unsecured areas of the medical practice and failing to keep required records.

Among the drugs involved, according to the warrant, were Demerol, Suboxone and Vicodin.

Houghton has retained New Haven attorney William Dow. He made a brief court appearance this morning in Middletown, where his case was transferred to the higher level court and continued to May 24.