Croatian police investigating hundreds of doctors for graft

At least 350 doctors in Croatia are being targeted by investigators on suspicions of taking bribes from a local drug maker.

Earlier this week, about 30 employees of Farmal, based in northern Croatia, were arrested for bribery, according to a report by AFP.

A local TV station said the doctors are suspected of taking bribes to prescribe Farmal's drugs.

AFP said Farmal produces generic drugs for cardiovascular, gastroenterological, bone, muscular, and neuropsychiatric diseases.

The report said Germany's Dermapharm AG acquired 95 percent of Farmal in January 2011.

The Croatian healthcare system is controlled centrally by the state.

Croatia is hoping to join the European Union in July 2013. The government has pledged to fight corruption.

Comments

[Malcolm Maclean]

Major corruption in the health care industry has been under the radar for about sixty years. Thanks to the internet, the ways in which this corruption is executed is becoming clearer and clearer. It is now widely known that the U.S. Department of Justice has been levying $billions of fines (That's Billions not millions) on drug companies for criminal mis-selling of drugs (Falsification of research, bribery, interference with market forces etc etc). The medical profession too has a long way to go to regain its proper respect having been diverted from its key function of diagnosis and treatment (Based on science) into patent drug salesmanship. The good news is that the tide is turning!