A junior doctor in Melbourne has been found to have forged around 90 prescriptions over several years, using a stolen pad belonging to a specialist cardiologist to obtain benzodiazepines and antidepressants. The case, examined by Victoria's Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT), raises serious concerns about prescription fraud within the medical profession and the ease with which a registered practitioner was able to exploit his access and knowledge of clinical systems to deceive pharmacies over an extended period.

The doctor, identified as Augustine Qiu, allegedly took the prescription pad from a cardiologist and used it repeatedly to forge scripts for controlled substances, including benzodiazepines and antidepressant medications. The scale of the deception, spanning years and dozens of forged prescriptions, has prompted scrutiny of regulatory oversight and the checks in place to prevent misuse of prescribing privileges by medical professionals.