Cologne trial exposes €3.6M health insurance fraud over unapproved medical kits
A nurse and a pharmacist are facing trial in Cologne over an alleged €3.6 million fraud targeting health insurers. The pair are accused of exploiting a costly medical product, the SymbioInfekt TheraKit, through fake prescriptions. Prosecutors claim they worked together to secure illegal reimbursements over two years.
Between February 2020 and July 2022, the nurse reportedly obtained fraudulent prescriptions for the SymbioInfekt TheraKit, a product priced at around €3,400 per package. The pharmacist, her business partner, then processed these prescriptions, keeping the wholesale price minus a 10% cut for the nurse. Prosecutors argue both acted with a shared criminal intent.
The SymbioInfekt TheraKit, produced by SymbioPharm, claimed to treat chronic infections using symbiotic bacterial therapy. However, it had no approved clinical use in Germany and was marketed off-label for conditions like Lyme disease and long COVID. Regulatory bodies such as the BfArM had not endorsed it, and it did not appear in official medical guidelines. During the trial, the pharmacist denied involvement, stating he trusted assurances about sourcing the product at a lower cost. He claimed no knowledge of the fraud. Meanwhile, recovering funds from the nurse appears unlikely, as her company has since filed for bankruptcy. If convicted, the pharmacist will be ordered to repay the full €3.6 million. Around €900,000 has already been repaid, with the remaining sum to be covered in monthly instalments of €10,000.
The trial centres on a scheme that exploited a controversial medical product with no formal approval. Should the court rule against them, the pharmacist will face significant financial penalties. The case also highlights the risks of off-label treatments in unregulated medical practices.
