Prosecutors in Berlin have brought charges against a palliative care doctor accused of murdering 15 patients under his care by administering fatal doses of various medications. The 40-year-old suspect, who has been in custody since August 2024, is also facing a request for a permanent ban from practising medicine.
Due to German privacy laws, the doctor has not been publicly named. Prosecutors stated that he has not confessed to the charges.
Initially linked to the deaths of four patients last year, the doctor allegedly attempted to cover up those cases by setting fire to their residences. However, as investigations have progressed, authorities have identified further suspicious deaths dating back to 2021, and prosecutors warn that the number of victims may yet increase.
A dedicated investigative team has been examining patient records, and further exhumations are expected as part of the inquiry.
Prosecutors allege that the doctor administered a combination of an anaesthetic followed by a muscle relaxant to patients in palliative care who were not imminently dying, and crucially, without their consent or awareness.
The case has sent shockwaves across Germany, as the doctor reportedly practised in multiple states, raising concerns about the breadth of his actions and oversight within the healthcare system.