FDA to intensify campaign against fake medicine

By ANNA FELICIA BAJO, GMA News

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Sunday said it will intensify its campaign against counterfeit drugs following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to the Philippine National Police to arrest and charge peddlers.

“The President’s backing has given us an even stronger resolve to put a stop to this practice which endangers the well-being of the public,” FDA Director General Nela Charade Puno said.

“We will further intensify the joint operations between the FDA and the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Puno added.

Puno said Duterte’s directive must send a strong signal to those involved in the proliferation of counterfeit drugs that the administration is serious in the campaign against them.

Duterte has ordered the police force to arrest and charge peddlers of fake drugs. This came after the warning of the FDA to the public against one counterfeit paracetamol—a pain reliever and fever reducer—being sold in the market.

Puno said that the FDA has seized more than P76 million worth of assorted counterfeit drugs from March 2017 to March 2018. Among the seized fake drugs were paracetamol, mefenamic acid, loperamide, anti-arthritis, skin whitening, slimming tea, and anti-impotency drugs.

She said some of the seized fake medicine were sold online or in stores.

She added that a total of 31 fake drug peddlers have been arrested during the same period.

Puno reminded the public to be vigilant in buying medicines, noting that consumers must only purchase from government-licensed pharmacies.

“These may be contaminated, contain wrong or no active ingredient, or are being dispensed at the wrong dosage,” Puno said.
“These fake drugs may cause more harm than good to their health if taken,” she added. —ALG, GMA News