85 Members of a Group Importing and Distributing 'Half Achilles Tendon' Arrested

Half Thickness of Genuine Achilles Tendon
Transplanted to Over 6,500 People
Rebate Suspicion Also Detected

A group involved in importing half-sized Achilles tendons and supplying them to hospitals, thereby fraudulently claiming about 10 billion KRW in medical care benefits, has been arrested by the police. It was confirmed that approximately 6,500 patients received transplants from this organization.

On the morning of the 16th, Park Myung-woon, Police Lieutenant and Head of the International Crime Investigation Division 2, Narcotics Crime Investigation Unit at the Metropolitan Investigation Team of Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency in Mapo-gu, Seoul, is explaining while holding an Achilles tendon model regarding the arrest of an importer and distributor of unauthorized human tissue (half Achilles tendon).
[Photo by Yonhap News]

On the 16th, the International Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency announced that a total of 85 people, including 26 representatives of supply companies, 6 salespersons, 30 doctors, 22 nurses, and 1 medical institution worker, were sent for prosecution on charges of violating the Human Tissue Act, Medical Device Act, Medical Service Act, and criminal breach of trust under the Criminal Act.

According to the police, from March 2012 to April 2019, the suspects imported 6,770 half-sized Achilles tendons from the United States without approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and distributed them to about 400 hospitals and clinics nationwide. The distributed Achilles tendons were only about half the thickness of genuine products, and approximately 6,500 patients across the country received transplants. A police official stated, "They exploited the fact that the Achilles tendons were imported in frozen packaging, making visual distinction difficult," adding, "This distribution occurred before the spread of COVID-19, during a period when the supply of Achilles tendons was not smooth."

The group also fraudulently received about 10 billion KRW in medical care benefits from the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) by falsely claiming that the half-sized Achilles tendons were approved human tissues. The police have sent the list of affected patients to the NHIS. It is reported that the NHIS is considering civil lawsuits against the companies and notifying the patients.

In February last year, the police conducted a search and seizure of two human tissue import companies following an investigation request from the NHIS. Through the search, they secured tissue transplant result records showing the use of half-sized Achilles tendons and, after forensic analysis of mobile phones, detected allegations that medical institutions leaked patients' medical information and other personal data to salespersons of the human tissue supply companies.

The police also identified that salespersons provided cash and other rebates to doctors. However, it has not been confirmed whether the doctors received rebates in exchange for overlooking the supply of half-sized Achilles tendons. Additionally, it was uncovered that salespersons entered operating rooms to trim Achilles tendons to fit patients' sizes, and emergency medical technicians assisted in surgeries in place of nurses.

The police plan to continue the investigation by requesting the MFDS to improve management and supervision systems to prevent recurrence, and by further identifying additional companies importing and supplying half-sized Achilles tendons as well as involved doctors.