Ministry of Health requests tracing the origin of fake drugs

(PLVN) - The Department of Drug Administration, Ministry of Health, has just sent an official dispatch to the Department of Health of provinces and cities regarding the inspection, handling, and tracing of the origin of fake Theophylline Extended Release Tablets 200mg.

According to the Drug Administration of Vietnam, on May 28, 2025, the Drug Administration of Vietnam received official dispatch No. 624/KNT-25 dated May 27, 2025 from the Hanoi Center for Drug, Cosmetic and Food Testing reporting that the product sample had the following information on the label: Theophylline Extended Release Tablets 200mg (Theophylin 200mg), batch number 21127, NSX 26/02/2022, HD 26/02/2026; place of manufacture Pharmacy Laboratories Plus; the drug sample did not have information about the GĐKLH number and/or GPNK number, the import facility on the label. The above drug sample was collected by the Hanoi Center for Drug, Cosmetic and Food Testing at An An Pharmacy (address: No. 153, Group 14, Kien Hung Ward, Ha Dong District, Hanoi City). The product does not meet the quality requirements for Theophylline Quantification (only 6.3% of the content stated on the label).

The Drug Administration of Vietnam requests the Hanoi Department of Health to urgently report to the Steering Committee 389 and coordinate with the police, market management agencies, the local Steering Committee 389 and relevant authorities to conduct inspections and examinations of An An Pharmacy; trace the origin of the above-mentioned product batch; strictly handle violators according to regulations; report the results of inspection, examination and handling to the Drug Administration of Vietnam before May 31, 2025.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam also requested the Department of Health of central provinces and cities to promptly notify drug trading and using establishments and people not to buy/sell or use the above products; promptly report any suspicious signs of production and trading of counterfeit drugs or drugs of unknown origin to health agencies and relevant authorities.

Previously, on December 31, 2024, the Drug Administration of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch No. 4229/QLD-CL to the Department of Health of provinces and centrally run cities to notify about the counterfeit drug THEOPHYLLINE 200mg, on the label there is information: batch number 21127, NSX 20/8/2022, HD 20/8/2026; place of manufacture: Pharmacy Laboratories Plus (Warszawa); the drug sample does not have information about the GĐKLH number and/or GPNK number on the label.

In this dispatch, the Drug Administration of Vietnam requested the Departments of Health to coordinate with relevant agencies to inspect, verify, and trace the origin of the above-mentioned counterfeit drugs; and directed the Testing Center to increase sampling and quality testing of drugs circulating in the area for drugs at risk of being counterfeit or of poor quality.

Ngoc Nga

Source: https://baophapluat.vn/bo-y-te-yeu-cau-truy-tim-nguon-goc-thuoc-gia-post550070.html