A 58-year-old pathologist specializing in the treatment of diabetes and a 48-year-old nurse at a public health center in Agrinio city in western Greece have been arrested for prescription medication fraud estimated to have cost the state more than 120,000 euros.
Among the many charges against them is that of prescribing to healthy patients drugs exclusively for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.
The drugs were then used as a weight-loss aid.
Investigation into the fraud was launched after a relevant complaint at the National Health Care Organization EOPYY.
Until Wednesday, June 14, a total of 13 cases of citizens have been reportedly identified as those who received the specific diabetes drugs for aesthetic reasons, thus endangering the health of patients who urgently needed the drugs.
The misuse of diabetics medication for weight loss has led to persistent shortages on the Greek market and also in other countries, with diabetes patients to be unable to find essential drugs prescribed for them.
According to media reports, the doctor and the nurse would illegally prescribe unnecessary drugs to uninsured patients – who would pay no contribution for prescriptions-. who would hand out the drugs intact to the doctor and the nurse.
They would probably sell them to people who would want to lose weight and maybe give a commission to the uninsured patients they used for the fraud.
From June to November 2022, the doctor and the nurse have issued 9,268 prescriptions worth 154,403.09 euros.
In searches in their homes, cars and the doctor’s office, police have recovered prescription medication, including expired medicines, 2,350 euros in cash and other evidence.
The two were led before a public prosecutor to face charges that include forming a criminal organization, forgery, fake medical certificates, bribing employees and fraud, among others.
It is not known if the couple would sell the drugs against cash or if they gave some kind of commission to the uninsured patients they used for the fraud.
It is also not known whether also the couple’s 13 clients will be prosecuted.
