Fraud suspected case against 600 gynecologists

More than 600 gynecologists nationwide for fraud suspected. The gynecologists reportedly provided their patients with contraceptive injections that were not approved in Germany on a large scale and implemented millions of them.

05/11/2012

Already in July raids on several gynecologists reported that her patients allegedly unauthorized birth control injections with the drug „Depocon“ had sold. According to the customs criminal investigation office (ZKA), prosecutors are now investigating the news magazine „FOCUS“ against 611 gynecologists throughout Germany. The gynecologists are accused of violating the drug law. They would have enriched the illegal trade with the unauthorized in this country contraceptive. In addition, even if approved in Germany, the drug should only have been sold through the pharmacies. According to investigators, the gynecologists have been unlawful in several ways.

Contraceptive injecting business for gynecologists
The contraceptive syringes „Depocon“ are approved in Austria as drugs and could be ordered by the gynecologist easily from Sigma via the Internet. For example, surgeries and doctors' associations online ordered the pregnancy prevention syringes, which were then delivered by parcel courier to Germany and administered to the patients. For the gynecologists apparently a worthwhile business. The spokesman for the Customs Department told the „FOCUS“, that the gynecologist „with the scam at least six million euros implemented“ to have - „ascending trend.“ The drug purchased in Austria is cheaper than a comparable contraceptive in Germany, the ZKA spokesman continues. The chief prosecutor Wuppertal had already informed after the first practice searches in the summer that the total order value probably includes several million euros.

Gynecologists are threatened with fines and imprisonment
Obtaining the drug from the Austrian manufacturer, this is not a legal problem. Also, the administration of the independently acquired drug by a German gynecologist would be in the opinion of the Prosecutor's Office legally in order. However, the accused gynecologists had taken the contraceptive themselves and then injected the patients. They acted contrary to the legal requirements of the Medicines Act, which can be sanctioned with fines or imprisonment of up to one year. First evidence of the violations of gynecologists collected the prosecutor's office with the support of the customs investigators in July. Sixteen doctors' offices in North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Lower Saxony were searched. This evidently resulted in numerous further investigations, so that now more than 600 gynecologists are accused of violating the Medicines Act.

No increased health risk for patients
However, a health risk for the affected patients has not resulted from the illegal administration of contraceptive injections. Attorney General Wolf-Tilman Baumert of the prosecutor Wuppertal said in July, it would exist „There are no indications that the women affected suffer any health damage.“ The three-month syringe with the active ingredient „ Depocon“ may have side effects, but these are also expected in other comparable, approved in Germany preparations. For example, the contraceptive injection containing the high-dose gestagen contained causes more frequent irregular or unusually heavy bleeding. However, patients need to be given a proper syringe once every three months while the birth control pill is taken daily. The hormone-containing injection is usually given to the patients by the first fifth day of their cycle by their gynecologist. (Fp)