A Bavarian family doctor has been charged with falsely recording thousands of vaccinations in children’s medical records, leading to legal proceedings and investigations into parents involved in the scandal amid Germany’s efforts to enforce vaccination laws.
A doctor in Bavaria has been charged over allegations that he recorded thousands of measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations in children’s immunisation records even though the jabs were never given. According to the General Prosecutor’s Office in Nuremberg, the family doctor is accused of falsely certifying the vaccinations in around 1,300 cases and then billing the statutory health insurance doctors’ association in Bavaria for the non-existent treatment, causing losses of more than €21,000.
Prosecutors said the suspect has admitted the allegations in full for the period from July 2022 to June 2025. He was placed in custody in July 2025, although that detention order was later suspended subject to conditions, and he has been barred from practising since June 2025. The Nuremberg Regional Court must now decide whether to open a trial.
The case has also triggered proceedings against the parents of the children involved. Bavarian authorities require children aged one and above to be vaccinated against measles if they attend nursery or school, unless there is a medical exemption. Prosecutors said they have opened more than 100 investigations into parents on suspicion of instigating the issuing of false medical certificates, and in cases already concluded they have applied for summary penalties at a district court in Landshut.
The allegations come against the backdrop of Germany’s wider efforts to enforce measles vaccination rules. Health officials say the disease is highly contagious, can spread even without direct contact, and may linger in a room for up to two hours after an infected person has left. They warn that measles can cause serious complications and can be fatal.
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