21 major counterfeit drugs sold online

The subjects producing fake drugs and the seized evidence. Photo: Thanh Hoa Provincial Police

On April 17, the Drug Administration of Vietnam ( Ministry of Health ) provided information to the press related to the fight against counterfeit drugs.

Accordingly, immediately after receiving the information, Thanh Hoa Provincial Police have just dismantled a large-scale production and trading of fake modern medicine nationwide; arrested 14 subjects for the crime of producing and trading fake disease prevention and treatment drugs, the Ministry of Health has sent an urgent document to Thanh Hoa Provincial Department of Health requesting close coordination with the Police Agency to fight, clarify, strictly handle violators of the law and thoroughly recall the counterfeit drugs that have been put on the market.

Initial information from the Thanh Hoa Department of Health and other functional units shows that the above products have not been detected at medical examination and treatment facilities. The products made by the counterfeiters cannot penetrate the public hospital system because they do not have documents and certificates to participate in bidding. These counterfeit products are mainly sold online; at retail channels.

Among the 21 types of products seized by the police, there were 4 types of fake modern medicine (including: 44 boxes of Tetracycline, 40 boxes of Clorocid, 49 boxes of Pharcoter, 52 boxes of Neo-Codion); the remaining 39,323 boxes included 17 types of fake products suspected to be oriental medicine, products with labels stating the intended use as medicine.

According to the Drug Administration, the rate of counterfeit drugs in recent years has been below 0.1%. In 2023-2024, some provinces and cities such as Thanh Hoa, Ha Nam, and Hanoi reported the discovery of some batches of counterfeit Tetracycline, Clorocid, Pharcoter, and Neo-Codion drugs.

“The act of producing and trading counterfeit drugs is one of the prohibited acts stipulated in the Law on Pharmacy (Article 6) and must bear criminal responsibility stipulated in Article 194 of the 2015 Penal Code, amended and supplemented in 2017. Accordingly, those who produce and trade counterfeit drugs can be criminally prosecuted for a minimum of 2 years in prison and a maximum of death penalty,” the Department of Drug Administration emphasized.

M at the peak of the fight against fake drugs and health protection products

The Ministry of Health has sent an official dispatch to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities regarding strengthening the fight against counterfeit drugs.

According to the Ministry of Health, in recent times, nationwide, functional forces have stepped up the fight against and destroyed production and trading lines of fake drugs and fake health protection foods.

“The production and trade of fake drugs and health protection products are still complicated. The subjects have used many tricks to conceal their actions, especially using social networks and the internet to buy/sell fake drugs and health protection products, not through official distribution channels,” the Ministry of Health informed.

The Ministry of Health requests the People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct functional agencies (Steering Committee 389, police, market management, health sector...) to launch a peak campaign to combat counterfeit drugs and health protection products of unknown origin. At the same time, strengthen the monitoring, inspection and supervision of advertising and trading activities of drugs and health protection products via the internet and social networks; promptly detect violations.

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/21-loai-thuoc-gia-chu-yeu-duoc-ban-le-tren-mang-210293.html