Counterfeit prescriptions: Criminals steal expensive medications

Z+ (subscription content); Counterfeit prescriptions: Sometimes they even send minors to the pharmacy

Criminals use fake prescriptions to steal expensive medications for cancer, diabetes or depression. The damage: several million euros. Now they have a new stitch.

From ZEIT No. 42/2026

Article summary

A pharmacist discovers a sophisticated forged prescription. In Berlin, Monika Schubert becomes suspicious when a man demands an expensive breast cancer drug, and her research reveals the recipe, doctor and practice to be inventions. The case represents a nationwide scam by organized groups that use fake prescriptions to procure expensive medicines and usually resell them to Russia. Investigators report thousands of procedures, recruited redeemers, real insured data and high damages, which pharmacies and health insurance companies are arguing about. The antidote is more e-prescriptions and concentrated investigations, but technical failures and fragmented responsibilities help the perpetrators.

This summary was created using artificial intelligence. Occasionally errors may occur.

For Monika Schubert it is a normal Tuesday in September - until this young man enters her pharmacy in Berlin. “Black jacket, rather inconspicuous,” is how she later describes him. He doesn't speak German and uses an app to translate. This is not unusual in Berlin. The prescription he presents also looks normal to Schubert at first glance: pink paper, all mandatory fields have been filled out, and the name of a German health insurance company is at the top left. That it's not an e-prescription? Also normal. The technology in practices often fails. But one thing makes the pharmacist suspicious: the young man wants medication against breast cancer.

Automatic summary

These questions were created using artificial intelligence based on the article text. Occasionally errors may occur.

The article answers these questions:

How do organized groups work when it comes to counterfeit prescriptions in German pharmacies?

Why have cases of fraud been so difficult to stop?