By Michael Sauerbier
After five years, the scandal surrounding Lunapharm’s counterfeit cancer drugs is finally coming to court. In 2018, Brandenburg’s Health Minister Diana Golze (47, left) fell over it.
“The main hearing is expected to start this year,” said Potsdam’s regional court spokesman Sebastian Hentschke of the BZ dock.
The allegation: Lunapharm is said to have purchased large quantities of expensive cancer drugs from Rabis pharmacy in Greece. Among them are the drugs “Velcade”, “Neulasta” and “Zytiga”. But the pharmacy did not have a wholesale license. The state health authority announced the ban to Lunapharm in May 2017.
According to the indictment, Krautz-Zeitel assured that he would no longer purchase goods from Rabi. Nevertheless, by July 2018, she had imported medicines worth 1.1 million euros from Greece – and resold them at high prices.
Brandenburg Minister of Health Diana Golze (Die Linke) Photo: picture alliance/dpa
The scandal: Despite numerous hints, the office and ministry did not stop the trade. When the deals were exposed by a TV report, Golze shifted responsibility to employees. She only resigned at the end of August 2018 when an inspection committee confirmed her control failure.
A year later, the public prosecutor charged Rabi and Krautz-Zeitel. Since 2019, the indictment has been simmering in the district court. Spokesman Sebastian Hentschke justified this with the “extensive and complex process”.
Managing Director Susanne Krautz-Zeitel rejects all allegations Photo: Cato
The Lunapharm lawyers had tried everything to prevent a trial. Krautz-Zeitel on Tuesday to BZ: “I haven’t done anything wrong. The EU medicines agency EMA had no objections.”
The judges approved the indictment in autumn 2022, and the trial will now follow. The accused face up to ten years in prison.
Golze and her officials got away with it with impunity. You just have to take the stand. The ex-minister made it to the board of directors of the Potsdam workers’ welfare organization, which she once funded with 365,800 euros.