Thursday, 28 September 2023
Pharmacist SA and Doctor FK, who were arrested on Friday evening and three citizens MA, GT and EK, who were found to have signed fake prescriptions issued in the name of someone else, appeared in court again yesterday
The ongoing investigation into prescription fraud which has involved the destruction of 2,973 drugs with a market value of 269,000 TL, has revealed that one of the 15 suspects arrested in connection with the fraud, a Dr. FK, had written up a total of 6,071 prescriptions between January and August, 152 of which were for pharmacist İ.T. who has also been arrested.
It was stated that İ.T pharmacy had contacted Dr. FK asking him to write prescriptions. Pointing out that it was determined that he sent a message to FK to prescribe medication, the police stated that the account statements and the phone calls taken as evidence will be examined.
Police noted that a search of the doctor’s car and home, revealed that he had arrangements with 42 pharmacies. Prescriptions issued in the name of patients and documents containing patient data were found and it was determined that the doctor had received small amounts of money in return for the prescriptions.
The police said that 36 of 5,205 prescriptions were examined and found to be criminal.
In another instance, the police said that in a search of SA’s pharmacy, 258 cut-up medicines and 105 destroyed empty medicine, syrup and cream boxes were found. In his voluntary statement to the police, SA said ‘I did it as a favour‘.
Investigation officer Mehmet Mannaş pointed out that the incident was being investigated in many ways, that there were statements to be taken and data to be examined, and requested that the suspects be detained for another eight days.
Pointing out that the prescriptions in Pharmacist SA’s pharmacy were written by the doctor NP, who was arrested on the first day, the police stated that it was determined that 3,547 of 5,205 prescriptions were written by Dr. NP.
Judge Zehra Yalkut Bilgeç ordered that the suspects be detained for a further eight days.
