The pain of fake medicine and fake milk

Counterfeit drugs and fake milk directly threaten public health and are increasingly becoming a pressing issue, requiring strict measures to manage, inspect and supervise.

Authorities seize fake and poor quality drugs and functional foods

Particularly serious consequences from fake drugs and fake milk

Recently, Thanh Hoa Provincial Police busted a nationwide ring of counterfeit pharmaceuticals production and trading. The counterfeit drugs were all products licensed for circulation by the Ministry of Health , such as Tetracycline, Clorocid, Pharcoter, Neo-Codion. The counterfeit drugs were made with ingredients of unknown origin and packaged in sophisticated ways.

Counterfeit drugs usually cannot reach hospitals, but the danger is that they can easily penetrate private pharmacies - the first place many people go when they are sick or ill. Some pharmacy owners, for profit, ignore the law, support counterfeit products and put patients in dangerous situations.

Doctor Nguyen Huy Hoang (Vietnam-Russia Hyperbaric Oxygen Center) warned that counterfeit drugs not only cause treatment failures, but can also lead to dangerous complications, even death. This is no longer an isolated problem, but has become a global challenge. For Vietnam, where the drug distribution system still has many loopholes, this risk is even greater.

First of all, the health sector needs to conduct a comprehensive review of the entire system, from the process of announcing, bidding, importing to distributing medical products.

Not only fake drugs, a special nutritional product, milk, is also being abused and counterfeited. Recently, more than 600 milk products that do not meet the requirements for declaration were discovered circulating on the market, including products that were provided in the country's leading prestigious hospitals. Although the hospital has recalled the products and refunded the patients, this is only a "firefighting" measure. The underlying problem is the lack of strict control in product inspection and declaration.

Particularly serious is that these fake milk products mainly target users such as infants, pregnant women and people with chronic diseases, groups with weak resistance and need the strictest protection. Using substandard products can cause unpredictable consequences such as diarrhea, allergies, digestive disorders, infections, and even poisoning if they contain banned substances or heavy metals.

The authorities have responded quickly, but the big question is: how could these large-scale smuggling rings operate for so long without being detected? Is it possible that the monitoring and inspection process is lacking, and the fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated?

Besides, the fact that fake milk products or poor quality drugs can easily access the market legally shows laxity in quality control and supervision.

Reforming the health system and tightening control

According to Decree No. 15/2018/ND-CP, the announcement and registration of product declarations are mandatory for health protection foods, medical nutritional foods, foods for special diets and products for children up to 36 months of age. The announcement registration dossier must include valid test results, scientific evidence proving the product's effectiveness and full information about the ingredients and manufacturer.

Article 194 of the 2015 Penal Code (amended and supplemented in 2017) clearly stipulates that the act of producing and trading in counterfeit drugs can be prosecuted with a minimum sentence of 2 years in prison and a maximum of death penalty. This clearly demonstrates the strictness of the law in handling acts that directly threaten public health.

The recent cases of fake drugs and fake milk clearly show the serious decline in the capacity to inspect and manage quality, leading to fake and poor quality goods entering the health system and reaching patients. The consequences of this are not only complications, physical injuries, and effects on the health of users, but also loss of confidence in the national health care and medical system. So what is the solution?

According to experts, first of all, the health sector needs to conduct a comprehensive review of the entire system, from the announcement process, bidding, import to distribution of medical products. Tightening regulations on product announcement, especially for products for sensitive subjects such as infants, the elderly, and people with chronic diseases, cannot be delayed. Each product in circulation must be accompanied by authentic scientific evidence, independent testing results, and strictly controlled in terms of origin and ingredients.

At the same time, it is imperative to strengthen post-audits, surprise inspections and harshly punish organizations and individuals who violate the law. It is impossible for businesses to commit mass violations but only receive administrative penalties and then continue to operate as if nothing had happened. The strictness of the law, with sufficient deterrent sanctions, is the effective tool to clean up the market.

In addition, the health sector needs to urgently apply technology to product monitoring and inspection. The use of QR codes for traceability, pharmaceutical management software, and electronic medical records not only helps detect errors early, but also increases transparency throughout the supply chain. In particular, the media plays a vital role in raising public awareness. Consumers need to be equipped with knowledge to protect themselves, avoid buying goods via social networks and unofficial channels that pose too many risks.

Public health is the foundation of a developed country. That foundation can only be solid if it is built on honesty, transparency and a strong enough management system to protect people from all risks from the market. When fake drugs and fake milk still have a place to thrive; when fraudulent businesses are still at large; when indifference continues to be covered up by dry administrative documents, all efforts to reform health care will be just empty promises.

The time has come for the health sector and regulatory agencies to stop “putting out fires” whenever there is a violation, but to take proactive, comprehensive and thorough action. Because if people’s trust continues to be eroded, the loss will not only be reputation or money, but also the total collapse of a system that was built on the expectations of millions of patients across the country.

Source: https://baodautu.vn/nhuc-nhoi-thuoc-gia-sua-gia-d270320.html