Prosecutors, together with law enforcement officers, uncovered a scheme in three private medical centers in the city that allowed patients to obtain narcotic substances uncontrollably and subsequently sell them to others.

According to the investigation, from February 2024 to April 2025, three psychiatrists from two medical institutions, under the guise of treatment through substitution maintenance therapy (SMT), were issuing methadone to drug-dependent patients. The suspects deliberately did not enter data about these visitors into the "Monitoring of Socially Significant Diseases" information system, allowing patients to simultaneously receive narcotic medications at several medical centers.

It has been established that some individuals who received medications within the SMT programs were not actually undergoing treatment and were selling the obtained drugs.

Law enforcement officers found that over 1200 drug-dependent individuals were registered in double accounts at the specified medical institutions.

Under the procedural guidance of the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office, all three doctors have been notified of suspicion of violating the rules for the use of narcotic substances, committed repeatedly, by a group of individuals in conspiracy (Part 2 of Article 28, Parts 1 and 2 of Article 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

In addition, a narcologist from another private medical center in Kharkiv, who also works in a state medical institution, violated the regulations on the circulation of narcotic medications. From December 2024 to January 2025, she did not verify information about patients' participation in SMT at other institutions, allowing them to re-enter the program. As a result, patients could receive methadone from two institutions simultaneously. She also did not enter the personal data of visitors into the information system.

Under the procedural guidance of the Saltiv District Prosecutor's Office of Kharkiv Region, she has been notified of suspicion of violating established rules for the dispensing of narcotic substances, which led to their fraudulent acquisition (Part 2 of Article 320 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

Currently, the issue of choosing preventive measures and suspending the suspects from their positions is being resolved.

Pre-trial investigation — National Police.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a court verdict.