By Lee Kyung-min
More than 900 doctors who allegedly received kickbacks from Dong Wha Pharm, a major pharmaceutical company, might face at least a two-month license suspension, health officials said Tuesday.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, out of 923 doctors, only 155 indicted so far have been notified. It is in the process of notifying the remaining 768 who were not indicted or investigated by police.
The list of doctors due for notification is based on a report submitted by Dong Wha when some company officials were being prosecuted in 2013 concerning the bribery case.
“As for the indicted doctors, they accepted our administrative decision, because they know that their allegations are likely found to be true. But for the 768, we are giving them a chance to refute Dong Wha’s claim. If they fail to prove their innocence, we will order suspensions. Those who refuse to accept our decision can take the matter to an administrative court,” said a ministry official.
The kickback scandal came to light in 2013 when the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) reported illegalities from January 2010 to December 2012.
In December last year, the 155 doctors were indicted for receiving between three and 30 million won in exchange for prescribing its products to patients. The doctors were charged with violating their ethics code that bans receiving anything in relation to, or in exchange for favors.
Along with them, a sales department head at the company as well as two officials at its PR agency were indicted.
The company allegedly provided the doctors with cash, wallets, gift vouchers and even a free place to live, the prosecution said.
Recently, the appeals court sentenced four officials at Dong-A, another pharmaceutical company, to suspended jail terms of eight months to two years for bribery. Most of the doctors avoided criminal charges.