Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan: Determined not to let fake drugs into hospitals

On the morning of June 18, at the plenary session of the National Assembly, Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan affirmed that Vietnam is determined to prevent and combat counterfeit drugs and fake functional foods, not allowing these products to enter the hospital system.

Minister of Health Dao Hong Lan speaks at the National Assembly session on the morning of June 18. Photo: QUANG PHUC

The Minister emphasized that the problem of counterfeit drugs and food is a global issue, with estimated total losses reaching $600 billion annually, according to US statistics. In Vietnam, the act of producing counterfeit drugs can be punished with up to the death penalty, as stipulated in Article 194 of the Penal Code, demonstrating the strictness in handling violations.

Acknowledging the fact that counterfeit drugs and dietary supplements still exist on the market, Minister Dao Hong Lan affirmed: "Through the bidding system, all drugs entering hospitals must have clear origins and sources. Therefore, there are no counterfeit drugs in hospitals."

The Ministry of Health is coordinating with relevant ministries and agencies – especially the National Steering Committee 389, the Ministry of Public Security , and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism – to strengthen inspections, rectify advertising activities, and prevent counterfeit medicines and food products.

“We have signed regulations with the Ministry of Public Security to address related issues. This includes combating counterfeit drugs and food products. Three prominent cases involving counterfeit drugs in Thanh Hoa, Kera candy from "Hang Du Muc," and counterfeit cosmetics in Dong Nai were all discovered by the Ministry of Health and transferred to the Ministry of Public Security for investigation, clearly demonstrating the ministry's determination in combating counterfeit drugs and food products,” Minister Dao Hong Lan stated.

The second issue, which Minister Dao Hong Lan also identified as "very pressing," is the lack of a legal framework to protect healthcare workers and staff.

According to the Minister, during the drafting of the revised Law on Medical Examination and Treatment, the Ministry of Health included many regulations prohibiting acts of harm against doctors and medical staff performing medical examination and treatment duties. However, unfortunate incidents have still occurred during its implementation.

The Minister stated: “The recent incidents in Nam Dinh, Phu Tho, and Nghe An are very regrettable. When these incidents occurred, we contacted the local authorities directly to request strict handling and to set an example to deter others. We also observed that in some cases, there was an agreement to avoid criminal prosecution. We propose appropriate handling according to the nature of the violations to ensure deterrence and to demonstrate absolute protection for the medical staff.”

ANH PHUONG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/bo-truong-bo-y-te-dao-hong-lan-kien-quyet-khong-de-thuoc-gia-vao-benh-vien-post799934.html