Medicines and functional foods were recently discovered abandoned in a vacant lot in Binh Chanh District, Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: Internet)
Alarming situation
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health and other authorities, every year, hundreds of cases related to the production and trading of counterfeit drugs, cosmetics and health protection foods are discovered nationwide. These products are often counterfeited in a sophisticated manner, from packaging, anti-counterfeit stamps to labels, making it very difficult for consumers to detect with the naked eye.
Commonly counterfeited items include: Medicines, from cold medicine, pain relievers, antibiotics to special medicines (cardiovascular, diabetes, cancer); cosmetics (skin whitening cream, lipstick, makeup powder, facial cleanser...). Health protection foods (TPBVSK): many counterfeit products are labeled as supporting weight loss, increasing vitality, and purifying the body, but in fact, the origin is unknown and the quality is not tested.
Serious health and social consequences
Using counterfeit products not only causes consumers to "lose money and suffer from diseases", but in many cases also threatens their lives. The consequences can be mentioned as follows: Counterfeit drugs may not contain active ingredients or contain the wrong dosage, leading to ineffective treatment, worsening of the disease, and even death. Counterfeit cosmetics may contain toxic substances (mercury, corticosteroids, etc.) causing allergies, dermatitis, infections, and long-term damage to the skin and body. Counterfeit dietary supplements do not ensure food hygiene and safety, contain toxic chemicals, cause digestive disorders, and affect the liver, kidneys, and many other organs. Not only that, the production and trading of counterfeit goods also erodes people's trust in the health system, seriously affecting the reputation of legitimate businesses, and causing damage to the national economy .
Causes and sophisticated tricks
There are many reasons for the proliferation of counterfeit goods because of high profits (due to low production costs, no need for inspection, so many people ignore the law to make illegal profits). Consumers have limited awareness when believing in unverified advertisements on social networks, buying products of unknown origin. On the other hand, market control, especially on online platforms, still has many loopholes, making it easy for counterfeit goods to infiltrate the market. Counterfeiting methods are increasingly sophisticated, packaging is designed to look exactly like real products, fake anti-counterfeit stamps, false advertising, using celebrities or impersonating doctors to promote products...
Consumers need to be vigilant
To prevent and combat the problem of counterfeit goods, every consumer needs to raise their awareness and buy at reputable addresses, at licensed pharmacies, buy cosmetics and dietary supplements from genuine stores or reputable e-commerce sites. Read the labels carefully, check the anti-counterfeit stamp, barcode, expiry date. If you detect any abnormalities, absolutely do not use. Do not believe in exaggerated advertisements: "Miraculous", "effective after 7 days", "recommended by doctors" ... need to be verified. If you discover a product suspected of being counterfeit, immediately report it to the authorities such as the Market Management Department, the police or the local health department. At the same time, find out accurate information from the Ministry of Health, the Food Safety Department, reputable health organizations to have the knowledge to distinguish and use safe products.
The role of authorities and society as a whole
To effectively prevent counterfeit goods, there needs to be strong and synchronous participation from all levels and sectors, such as: Management agencies need to strengthen inspections and strictly handle counterfeit goods producers and traders. Legitimate businesses need to invest in anti-counterfeiting technology and transparent product information. Media and press need to actively propagate and raise public awareness. People need to become smart consumers, together condemning and eliminating counterfeit goods from life.
Counterfeit drugs, counterfeit cosmetics, and counterfeit health supplements are not only personal problems but also a threat to the whole society. Don't let gullibility, trust, or cheapness harm the health and lives of yourself and your loved ones. Choose genuine products, verify clearly, and take action to help fight the problem of counterfeit goods, for a safe and healthy community.
Dr. VAN HIEN TAI
(An Giang Provincial Center for Disease Control)
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/canh-bao-moi-nguy-hai-tu-thuoc-gia-my-pham-gia-va-thuc-pham-bao-ve-suc-khoe-gia-a422359.html
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