Recent revelations from Health Minister Adonis Georgiades have raised serious concerns about a pathologist at a health center in Lesbos. According to the minister, this doctor allegedly prescribed an astonishing 705 medications within just eight months, primarily during the early morning hours between 9 PM and 4 AM. These prescriptions were reportedly made for her husband and two children, totaling 1,818 units.
Georgiades recounted a phone call with the doctor, during which he expressed his astonishment that she was prescribed three different statins for her daughter. He mentioned that at 53 years old, he only takes one statin himself.
The family’s medical history is significant, according to a report from ERT. The doctor’s husband explained over the phone that he is obese and suffers from severe cardiac, respiratory, and other health issues. He added that their children also have serious medical conditions and require medication. “Our medicines were prescribed by my doctor and my wife,” he clarified, emphasizing that there was no fraud involved. He noted that the prescriptions were not made monthly but rather every three to six months, which accounts for the large number of medications.
The ERT report indicated that the doctor is currently unable to speak, and her husband mentioned that she is struggling with her mental health. He also denied that she ever prescribed medications to a foreign technician.
During a press conference, Georgiades elaborated on the case, noting that the doctor followed a peculiar practice of prescribing only at night. In total, she issued 705 prescriptions, amounting to 1,818 units for her family. Georgiades remarked on the unusual situation, saying, “I told her I’m 53 and take a statin, but she claimed she has a very rare condition. She also prescribed medication to a foreign technician who was visiting for a concert, and she likely left with about 1,000 units.”
In a separate but related incident, another doctor was fined €800,000 for using his mother’s social security number to prescribe thousands of drugs. It was revealed that his estimated profit for 2024 alone was around €400,000. Georgiades explained, “The EOPYY services calculated the fine based on the double profit he made from these illegal prescriptions.”
Georgiades reiterated his message to doctors who overprescribe: “Don’t do it. With the systems in EOPYY and EDIKA, we will catch you one by one. Electronic records cannot be erased, and you won’t get away with it.” He also urged anyone who believes their AMKA (social security number) has been misused to report it to EOPYY, as these individuals might face restrictions on future prescriptions due to unnecessary medications.
