Etomidate Exploits Regulatory Loopholes
Dermatology Clinic Turns into a Hub for Narcotics Administration
A shocking case has come to light in which a medical institution was reduced to a hub for drug distribution rather than a place for treatment. A hospital that had been illegally distributing and administering etomidate, a sedative anesthetic, and the narcotic propofol for several years has been caught by the police.
Daegu Suseong Police Station announced that after conducting an investigation for about six months into a dermatology clinic located in Suseong District, it apprehended a total of seven individuals, including three hospital staff members and four drug recipients, on charges of violating the Special Act on the Control of Health Crimes, the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, and the Narcotics Control Act. Among them, one nursing assistant and one habitual drug user have been arrested and detained.
The detained nursing assistant, identified as Ms. A (45, female), is accused of illegally selling or directly administering etomidate and propofol over approximately four years, generating criminal proceeds of about 600 million won. The police plan to recover the entire amount of criminal proceeds by applying for confiscation and preservation before indictment.
The investigation revealed that Ms. A used a doctor's identity to purchase 7,000 bottles of etomidate (10ml per bottle) and 110 bottles of propofol (50ml per bottle), and then administered the drugs not only in the hospital's storage room but also by visiting recipients' residences. To conceal the use of these drugs, she falsified medical records and entered false information into the narcotics integrated management system, systematically covering up the crimes.
Particularly central to this case was the drug "etomidate." Although it has been called the "second propofol" due to concerns about misuse and abuse, it was not classified as a controlled narcotic until February 2026. Ms. A exploited this regulatory blind spot to distribute and administer large quantities without any separate reporting requirements.
After the distribution of etomidate became more difficult, Ms. A expanded her crimes to include propofol. Some recipients, addicted to the illegal administration, lost all their assets and became credit delinquents, while Ms. A enjoyed a luxurious lifestyle, purchasing an expensive officetel and imported cars with her criminal proceeds.
This case starkly demonstrates how medical practices, when distorted into a means of profit rather than treatment, can cause severe harm to both individuals and society. The fact that the space of a hospital and the trust in medical professionals were exploited as tools for crime raises concerns about undermining trust in the entire healthcare system.
The police are focusing on the fact that the lack of regulation before etomidate was designated as a narcotic directly led to this crime. There are calls for proactive management and strengthened reporting systems for new and substitute pharmaceuticals, even before they are officially classified as narcotics.
Suseong Police Station plans to structurally block drug crimes involving medical professionals by analyzing the pharmaceutical distribution structure, strengthening the management of medical institutions, and tracking criminal proceeds, centering on its dedicated drug investigation team.
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