Nearly 100 doctors caught for abusing propofol, other drugs

Nearly 100 doctors have been caught for misusing narcotics and psychotropic drugs such as propofol, police said Wednesday.

Police have uncovered 98 medical workers -- mostly doctors -- and eight hospitals in a two-month nationwide crackdown on illegal use of drugs by hospitals.

The crackdown, conducted jointly with the health authorities, came after a local obstetrician was arrested in August on charges of injecting his girlfriend with an anesthetic that caused her death and then abandoning her body, sparking concerns of drug abuse at hospitals.

Propofol is classified as a psychotropic drug but commonly used during routine surgeries. It is also known as a “milk injection”because the color of the drug resembles milk.

Among those caught, 29 injected drugs into patients without a proper prescription, 76 others poorly managed drugs and one administered a drug on him or herself, according to the National Police Agency (NPA).

By region, Seoul topped the list of instances of illegal drug use cases at 50, followed by Gyeonggi Province surrounding Seoul with 23 cases and the southern port city of Busan at 28, they said.

The Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) said they have requested the NPA to further investigate 69 other hospitals on suspicion of illegally using and distributing propofol.

The KFDA vowed to continue their joint surveillance with investigative authorities to eradicate misuse of the drug by hospitals.

Meanwhile, a total of 5,105 people were arrested for crimes related to drugs in 2012, the NPA said. Of them, 86 were nabbed for selling or buying drugs on the Internet and 57 were gang members. (Yonhap)



<관련 한글 기사>

충격, 병원서 프로포폴 불법사용 다수


약 100여명의 의료인이 프로포폴 등 마약류를 불법 사용해 오다 9일 경찰에 붙잡혔다.

식품의약품안전청과 경찰청은 지난해 10월부터 11월까지 전국적으로 의료용 마약류 실태 조사를 통해 의료인 98명과 개인병원 8곳을 적발했다고 밝혔다.

또 프로포폴 취급 병원이 많았던 지역은 서울이 50회, 부산지역이 28회, 경기지역이 23회로 조사됐다.

이번 점검은 프로폴이 광범위하게 오•남용됨에 따라 사회적 우려가 높아져 실시됐다.

한편, 식약청은 프로포폴 등 의료용 마약류 오•남용을 근절하기 위해 무선주파수인식기술 (RFID) 태그를 부착 하여 의료기관의사용내역 보고제 등을 추진할 예정이라고 전했다. (코리아헤럴드)