Cheap, but fatal

Three people died in St. Petersburg after the use of counterfeit drugs in the medical center

Three people died after the use of counterfeit drugs in the St. Petersburg Consultative and Diagnostic Center No. 1. More than 20 were injured, of which two are now in intensive care. All victims took the barium sulfate. If it were not for deaths, the investigating authorities would not intervene in the situation and medical research unsafe for Petersburgers would have continued as much as much. According to the city health committee, a poor -quality barium sulfate, which led to the death of three people, was also used in other clinics in St. Petersburg.

On January 26, law enforcement agencies received information that over the past two days, six Petersburgers with the same signs of poisoning by an unknown substance were taken to the hospital. Botkin. Suspicions caused the fact that all of them on the eve of the city advice and diagnostic center No. 1 (KDC) made a gastrography (X-ray of the stomach) using a barium sulfate. Doctors prescribe contrast radiography of the upper gastrointestinal tract to patients quite often for diseases such as ulcer, gastritis, stomach hernia, neoplasms in the form of a tumor, etc. The barium sulfate is used for contrast: it reflects x -rays and allows you to get more detailed images. Typically, patients take the drug inward before and during the study.

According to the "New" in the State Medical University of the IC of the Russian Federation for St. Petersburg, "in the KDC No. 1 for a long time, medical services were provided to citizens, applying a counterfeit chemical drug (barium sulfate), which did not meet the safety requirements of consumer life and health, instead of a certified medicine."

Two of the six urgently hospitalized-a 60-year-old woman and a 42-year-old man (father of four children)-did not survive until the morning of January 26. Another woman died in the hospital. Botkin January 27. In all cases, the exact cause of death will become known only after the conclusions of the forensic examination, they are not yet. But this does not prevent investigators from confidently talking about the poisoning of barium sulfate.

On January 28, the GSU of the IC of the Russian Federation for St. Petersburg opened a criminal case under Part 3 of Art. 109 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Causing death by negligence” and under Part 3 of Art. 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation “Provision of services that do not meet the requirements of the safety of life and health of consumers”. In the evening of the same day, investigators seized documentation and equipment in the medical institution. The course and results of the investigation took control of the city prosecutor's office.

- We are shocked. These studies have been carried out since the start of the center began, and there have never been complications, ”the chief physician of the KDC No. 1 Evgeny Popov commented on January 27 on the air of the St. Petersburg television channel. - At the moment, the studies are stopped, the investigation is dismantling. The used drug was sent for examination. The actions of doctors are checked.

The investigation figured out and determined the one who would be responsible for what happened quickly: on January 28 as a suspect, the operatives detained the head physician of the KDC No. 1. And a few hours later, the court concluded Evgeny Popov to custody until March 26.

According to investigators, “Popov approved an application for the purchase of the drug at LLC Nevareactiv

“Sulfur Barios 0.10 (H2O)%, which is not included in the state register of drugs, cannot be used for medical purposes and is a danger to human life and health.

The drug was purchased and used in the provision of medical services in the KDC No. 1 in the period from 10.01.2022 to 01/26/2022 ”. To the question of holding the supplier in the Main Directorate of the IC of the Russian Federation in St. Petersburg, they are not yet ready to answer.

The chief doctors of St. Petersburg medical institutions, with whom the "new" spoke, the guilt of Popov raises great doubts:

“Not a single head of the clinic, unless he is an idiot or suicide, will buy a poor -quality drug, knowingly knowing about his potential danger.”

But there is another problem, and all the chief doors are asked not to forget about it: today, with any purchase, the hospital may be fooled by unknown what. Since, according to the law on public procurement, medical institutions are forced to buy medicines from the supplier who offers a lower price. If the company sells counterfeit, it is not surprising that its price will be lower.

To purchase proven products, but more expensive, for the head physician it is fraught: they can be punished for embezzlement.

On January 28, the City Health Committee reported that the Barium sulfate, after the reception of which three people died in the KDC No. 1, was also used in other medical institutions of St. Petersburg. Roszdravnadzor urgently banned the use of the drug.

OFFICIALLY
Olga Ryabinina,
Press Secretary of the Healthcare Committee of St. Petersburg

-The Health Committee provides the necessary assistance to the investigating authorities in connection with the deaths of patients after the radiological examination of the stomach in the city advice and diagnostic center No. 1.

Lists of patients have been requested in the CDC who have been completed in the last two weeks. Their calling is organized in order to clarify the condition and, if necessary, assistance. In the medical center, consultations of toxicologists are organized. The territorial branch of Roszdravnadzor, as well as the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, was informed about the incident. The heads of the administrations of all regions of St. Petersburg, as well as the chief doctors of healthcare institutions, were aimed at a notification of the need for urgent suspension of the application of the specified bary sulfate. The letter draws attention to the need for a clear fulfillment of the requirements of the instructions for the medical use of the drug.

Now the Health Committee checks the procedure for purchasing the drug and job descriptions of the institution. Based on the results, conclusions will be presented about the causes of the incident and persons who committed violations.