A doctor in Seattle has been charged with diverting fentanyl and other controlled substances intended for pediatric patients.
Andrew Voegel-Podadera, a 35-year-old anesthesia resident at Seattle Children’s Hospital, was arrested at his home last week, according to a statement from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Voegel-Podadera has been charged with two counts related to acquiring a controlled substance through misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, as confirmed by the DEA’s Seattle office.
“Diverting medicine away from infant patients is despicable, doubly so if the person involved is a doctor,” stated David F. Reames, special agent in charge of DEA Seattle’s Field Division.
The allegations outline Voegel-Podadera’s actions while providing care to both children and adults as he reportedly diverted fentanyl, remifentanil, sufentanil, and hydromorphone.
In a confession to law enforcement, he allegedly admitted to preparing medications, administering part of the dose to patients, and keeping the remainder for personal use.
Additionally, court documents suggest he may have misused controlled substances while on duty. An attending physician observed behavior consistent with drug use, noting unexplained delays and absences from the operating room.
In December 2024, Voegel-Podadera was treating three children when an attending physician highlighted concern after observing him draw an excessive amount of fentanyl into syringes that were unnecessary for the patients.
Following these observations, Seattle Children’s Hospital conducted tests on all substances returned by Voegel-Podadera as wastage.
Shockingly, some apparently wasted syringes were found to contain saline solution instead of the expected controlled substances.
The hospital took this case seriously and reported their findings to the DEA in January 2025.
The subsequent investigation revealed that Voegel-Podadera had allegedly diverted controlled substances at other facilities, including the University of Washington Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center, dating back to January 2024.
On June 12, the DEA suspended his ability to prescribe controlled substances, leading to his arrest a week and a half later.
This incident highlights the ongoing drug crisis affecting the Pacific Northwest.
In a related case, a former Medford nurse, Dani Marie Schofield, was accused of endangering 44 patients in the intensive care unit of Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center, allegedly stealing fentanyl and replacing it with contaminated water.
Survivors and families of victims from Schofield’s actions filed a $303 million lawsuit against the hospital, citing negligence in safety protocols that allowed the theft to occur.
Schofield has pleaded not guilty to 44 charges of second-degree assault and is awaiting trial.
This series of incidents emphasizes a troubling pattern of drug-related misconduct within healthcare settings, raising concerns for patient safety in the region.
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