W20 mil. spent on Propofol a month

As many as 19 medical personnel, including owners of a hospital, have been arrested for organizing a “Propofol Day” for injecting the anesthetic agent for clients in the southern Seoul district Gangnam.

According to the violent crime division of the Seoul Prosecutor’s Office, doctors and three owners of hospitals have been arrested for violating laws on the illegal administration of drugs.

Another 16, including doctors and nurses, as well as operators of entertainment facilities, have been indicted for administering and receiving Propofol and using marijuana.

Prosecutors said the proprietors of the three hospitals injected people with hundreds of dosages of Propofol since 2011 under the pretense of providing surgery for cosmetic surgery and other medical treatment.

In some cases, the clinics closed down their facilities to organize “Propofol Day” for selected clients.

The proprietors made away with hundreds of millions of won (millions of dollars) and some of the clients paid as much as 20 million won ($18,000) a month for the injections.

The prosecutors said they will introduce a drug utilization review to track the abuse of Propofol and prevent further abuse of the anesthetic.