Gökhan Altıner writes: Will the social insurance system be investigated as well?

The scale of the prescription fraud is expanding, the number of arrests is increasing, and even prominent doctors and pharmacists are being handcuffed and brought to court. We are faced with a highly dramatic situation. Under normal circumstances, we are talking about the most trustworthy people in the country: doctors and pharmacists, the two sectors you entrust with your health. Some doctors are even saying that the situation has turned into a witch hunt. I understand that the situation has become so severe that even the people named by doctors or pharmacists during their interrogations are at risk of being arrested. The police need to work very sensitively and carefully.

In fact, we are in a situation where, under normal circumstances, all pharmacists should be brought to court because almost every pharmacist has been involved in this prescription business. This is the view of a senior official from the Ministry of Health. So, now, is the crime of the few who did something the same as the crime of the six thousand who did the same? According to reports, among those arrested, there are very few pharmacists and doctors who are heavily involved in this business. However, there is a serious lack of information on this matter.

There is another important question. In relation to this major fraud, will the Ministry of Labour conduct an internal investigation? Have the officials responsible for the prescription section been questioned or will they be? Will their statements be taken? We have heard that this issue is not a new one; it has been going on for years, and even doctors and pharmacists know who is involved.

Last week, the President of the Association of Freelance Physicians, Dr. Remzi Gardiyanoğlu, was my guest. Gardiyanoğlu rightfully asked the following question: "For all these years, while high-priced prescriptions were being prepared by one doctor and one pharmacist, didn't it occur to the relevant officials to question it?" It's a very valid question. As a journalist, I'm also asking: since it's not a new issue, and only one doctor and one pharmacist were submitting high-value prescriptions, didn't the relevant officials ever think to inquire? Did they not report this to their superiors?

In other words, didn't the insurance officials responsible for reviewing the 6,000 prescriptions submitted by a single doctor and prepared by the pharmacist ever think to ask, "What is this?"?

This situation can only be revealed if it is questioned by the police. So, I have an open call to my dear friend, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Sadık Gardiyanoğlu: could this prescription fraud also be a part of the Social Insurance system? Will an investigation be conducted? There is a serious amount of money involved and a deep investigation is needed. Will this investigation be limited to doctors and pharmacists, or will the Social Insurance system also be included?

Clearly, there is a serious organized scheme involved. The numbers are large, the scale of the fraud is significant, and the robbery is substantial, and it is being completed within the doctor-pharmacist axis.

While I'm at it, I want to ask this as well. Since this situation, this system, has been known by doctors and pharmacists for years, and since it has been known by Social Insurance inspectors as well, why didn't Social Insurance directors and inspectors take the necessary steps to initiate an investigation in the last year or the year before that or even earlier?

These are important questions. The Ministry and the Police should investigate the Social Insurance system as well and conduct the necessary investigations.