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Doctor Charged for Illegally Supplying Codeine Cough Syrup to Reseller



A Singapore doctor and another man have been charged in court over the illegal supply and intended sale of massive amounts of Dhasedyl cough syrup containing the opioid codeine. The drug is known to cause drowsiness, dizziness, and has the potential to cause addiction.

The Charges and the Alleged Scheme

The two individuals involved are:

  1. Dr. Goh Sze Yi (48): Practising at the former Prudence Family Clinic in Bishan, Dr. Goh faces one charge under the Health Products Act. He allegedly supplied more than 2,000 litres of the Dhasedyl cough syrup to the second man, Gwee Keat Sheong, despite not possessing a valid wholesaler's licence to do so.

  2. Gwee Keat Sheong (50): Gwee faces more than 80 charges under the same Act. He allegedly obtained the cough syrup with the intent to sell it to others. Among the charges, Gwee is accused of possessing for sale unlabelled canisters of a brown liquid containing codeine in a Choa Chu Kang flat in June 2023.

The illegal supply operation allegedly occurred over at least 225 occasions at the Prudence Family Clinic in Bishan between January 2020 and May 2023.

Prudence Family Clinic's Revoked Licence

The clinic linked to the doctor, Prudence Family Clinic, has been under intense regulatory scrutiny.

  • Revocation: The Ministry of Health (MOH) revoked the clinic's licence to provide outpatient medical services on January 24, 2025.

  • Reason: The revocation was due to the clinic's repeated failure to control its prescription of medicines to patients, including codeine cough medicine, benzodiazepines, and other hypnotics. MOH found the clinic had repeatedly flouted the Healthcare Services Act, failing to properly document patient records and ensure doctors adhered to safe prescription limits and referral guidelines.

  • Current Status: Following the revocation, the clinic was prohibited from offering healthcare services on its premises, during house calls, or remotely via teleconsultations.

The charges against Dr. Goh, which concern the wholesale supply of a controlled medication without a licence, are separate from the MOH's action against the clinic's general prescribing practices but fall within the same period of regulatory laxity.

The cases involving both Dr. Goh and Gwee have been adjourned to January 6, 2026.


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Location: Singapore

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