Pharmacist couple in court: Illegal Paxlovid sale uncovered!

Pharmacist couple in court: Illegal Paxlovid sale uncovered!

A pharmacist couple is standing before the court in Tyrol because of alleged fraud in connection with the corona drug Paxlovid. Loud Small newspaper The first accused pharmacy assistant ordered at least 2,500 packs of this medication since the end of December 2022. Paxlovid, which according to the Ministry of Health is intended for patients with severe disease in the winter of 2022/2023, was quickly sold out nationwide.

However, the defendant's appointment was made without a legitimate reason, as there was a lack of prescriptions for sick patients. It is suspected that he sent the packages to China for a fee, for which he is said to have received around 20,000 euros in cash. How many packs were actually sold to China remains unclear, but 450 packs were returned after the drug supplier inquired about the nationwide shortage.

Investigations and criminal charges

The Federal Ministry of Health has already filed charges against several pharmacists who are suspected of having resold Paxlovid illegally. As part of the investigation, more than 25 pharmacists in Germany were identified, some of whom ordered over 1,000 packs of the drug. Extensive searches were carried out, particularly in Bavaria and Berlin, during which unusually high order quantities were discovered. A pharmacy in Frankfurt am Main even ordered almost 10,000 packs of Paxlovid, which raised eyebrows. Loud daily news The estimated damage to the Berlin public prosecutor's office is around three million euros.

The laws are clear: The sale of Paxlovid to third parties is prohibited, and pharmacists could therefore be liable for embezzlement and other violations of the Medicines Act. From January 15, 2024, the drug will be distributed directly by Pfizer, and the costs will be covered by health insurance companies in the future, with the price set at 1,149.19 euros per pack.

Paxlovid at a glance

Paxlovid was provided to pharmacies free of charge by the federal government. In 2022, the federal government purchased one million packages of the drug from Pfizer. It is particularly designed to prevent severe disease progression in acute corona infections. However, critics, such as pharmacist Max Wilke, expressed concerns about the high order volumes, as their pharmacies hardly sold more than 30 packs last year, calling into question the need for such orders, as well Pharmacy look around reported.

In view of the massive allegations and the possible penalties, which range from one to ten years in prison, the pharmacist couple is under strong public pressure. If convicted, you also risk losing your pharmacy. The ABDA's clarification of the allegations and the ongoing investigation promise to bring further details to light in the coming months.