Doctors accused of illegally administering ketamine to patients
By Matt Woods
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ST. LOUIS, Missouri (KMOV) — Two St. Louis-area doctors were indicted on charges accusing them of committing health care fraud and illegally administering ketamine to patients.
Dr. Asim Muhammad Ali, 53, and Dr. Mohd Azfar Malik, 70, were indicted on 22 counts related to conspiracies to illegally distribute a controlled substance and commit health care fraud, and making false statements related to health care matters.
Charges against Ali allege he defrauded Medicare by using Malik’s name and Medicare billing number to bill for health care services. Prosecutors also claim he illegally administered intravenous ketamine and a nasal spray version of the drug without authorization from the government.
Ali was suspended from the Missouri Medicaid program in December 2020 but did not report it to Medicare. The indictment claims he continued to provide services to people receiving Medicare through Malik’s clinics.
Prosecutors allege Malik did not have authorization to administer controlled substances at his COPE Ketamine Clinic in South County. He did have a DEA registration authorizing him to administer controlled substances, but not at that clinic.
Charges allege Ali and Malik agreed after December 2020 that Ali would use Malik’s DEA registration to administer ketamine infusions to patients without supervision from Malik, which would be required by law.
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