Doctors Arrested for Drug Abuse, Illegally Filming Sedated Patients in South Korea

Two doctors and 12 others have been arrested in Seoul for habitually using narcotics and illegally filming patients while they were under anesthesia. The arrests highlight a disturbing trend of medical professionals exploiting their positions for illicit gain and violating patient trust.

One of the arrested doctors allegedly administered propofol and other medical narcotics to seven patients over a two-year period, pocketing 40 million won. This doctor also faces charges of illegally filming patients' bodies 27 times while they were under sedation. The doctor's associate is accused of administering narcotics to eight patients 111 times over a year, earning 417 million won.

To evade detection, the doctors reportedly used 'dexmedetomidine,' a sedative not yet classified as a narcotic. This marks the first time police have uncovered cases of its misuse. Authorities have requested the confiscation of 457 million won in assets from the doctors. They are also petitioning the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to designate dexmedetomidine as a controlled substance and are advocating for institutional reforms, such as requiring a third party to be present during all sedation procedures.