- Doctor sentenced to prison for illegal prescriptions
A doctor has been sentenced by the Mannheim Regional Court to a prison term of three years and nine months, among other charges, for the acquisition and possession of narcotics. The court announced this. The 50-year-old from Weinheim (Rhein-Neckar district) is alleged to have issued illegal prescriptions for narcotics in 88 cases - including 65 cases for the painkiller Fentanyl without a sufficient medical reason. Additionally, he is accused of possessing Ecstasy and LSD, and acquiring cocaine.
The indictment initially also included the issuance of numerous illegal prescriptions for medical cannabis without a medical reason. However, the court stated that the lack of a medical reason could not be proven against the man. The chamber also imposed a professional ban for two years.
In April 2022, the doctor's practice was searched, as previously reported by the court. In early September 2022, the suspension of the doctor's license was ordered. In such cases, the doctor can no longer issue prescriptions at the expense of statutory health insurance, as announced by the Baden-Württemberg Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians. For such an order, among other things, the suspicion of a serious crime must exist, as stated by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The doctor was taken into custody in June 2023.
The verdict is not yet final. A appeal to the Federal Court of Justice is possible.
The doctor, convicted in Mannheim, had his practice in Weinheim, located in the Rhein-Neckar district. During the April 2022 search of his practice, ecstasy and LSD were discovered among the seized items.
