Brave whistleblower uncovers pharma scam

Network of 'fake patients' claimed meds from Veterans General Hospital for resale. But the gang's activities may not have ended there, writes Karnjana Karnjanatawe

- Karnjana Karnjanatawe

In an extraordinary act of courage, Ms Patchani Phunsuk, a whistleblower at the heart of a pharmaceutical corruption scandal, has helped uncover a criminal network that misused taxpayer-funded drugs to enrich a select few while jeopardising public health.

The corruption, which spans over a decade, involves the exploitation of the Veterans General Hospital system, where “fake patients” were created to funnel medication for illegal resale, causing damages worth billions of baht. Ms Patchani’s journey began when she was approached by a “team leader” who tried to recruit her into the operation.

The leader, part of a network of fake patients, explained how the scheme worked: elderly individuals, both genuinely ill and perfectly healthy, were recruited to pose as patients.

They would visit the Veterans General Hospital, feign illnesses, and receive large quantities of medications, which they would then hand over to the network in exchange for cash. These drugs were later sold for profit.

Despite warnings from her family to stay out of the scheme for fear of her safety, Ms Patchani decided to take action.

“I did this because I wanted to see justice served. I wanted to make sure those who were wronged by this network would face real consequences,” she said.

She began gathering evidence, secretly recording conversations and documenting the process.

She even went undercover, posing as a fake patient to collect firsthand evidence. Over time, she amassed amountain of proof, including video recordings and testimonies from others involved in the scheme.

“We as fake patients were coached on how to act during medical consultations, and some doctors within the hospital were complicit, prescribing unnecessary medications,’ she said, adding the medicines varied from treatments for heart disease to painkillers for joints, liver supplements, and even artificial tears.