Counterfeit medicines

PANAMA. The Ministry of Health Pharmacy and Drugs Department director, Eric Conte said that the counterfeiting of drugs and medicines is part of the phenomenon that involves pharmaceuticals that do not comply with the established norms of security, quality and efficacy for health.

Some of the labels include in a deliberate and fraudulent manner, false information about the manufacturer and its identity.

This practice not only affects products, but at times although the composition is correct, the container is a counterfeit, while in other cases, the contents are wrong and do not include the active ingredient, or the one present does not have the right quantities.

Conte said that Panama has not escaped medicine counterfeiting and for that reason it is necessary to takeappropriate actions to stop this crime, that has major repercussions not only for the pharmaceutical industry, but also for the health of the population.

There have been two cases of counterfeit medicines in Panama which were the Panadol Multi-symptoms and Viagra.

The other cases detected had to do with illegal actions on the part of the sellers or cosmetics from China.

The director said that the Ministry of Health is planning to review criminal legislation and sanctions related to counterfeit medicines and other violations to the sanitary code.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the number of counterfeited or adulterated medicines represent between five to eight percent of all prescription drugs of the $550 billion that the pharmaceutical industry generates every year.