Fake asthma medication found for sale at a pharmacy in Hanoi

On May 29, the Drug Administration of Vietnam (Ministry of Health) sent an official dispatch requesting the Hanoi Department of Health to urgently coordinate with the police, market management agencies, Hanoi City Steering Committee 389 and other relevant agencies to conduct an inspection of An An pharmacy (in residential group 14, Kien Hung ward, Ha Dong district, Hanoi) to clarify the origin of Theophylline medicine with signs of counterfeit medicine.

Accordingly, the Drug Administration recently received a report from the Hanoi Center for Drug, Cosmetic and Food Testing that the product sample had information on the label: Theophylline Extenderdrelease tablets 200mg (theophyllin 200mg), batch number 21127, manufacturing date 26-2-2022, expiration date 26-2-2026; place of manufacture Pharmacy Laboratories Plus, without information about the circulation registration number, import license number, and import facility on the label.

In particular, the drug sample did not meet the quality requirements for the quantitative index of Theophylline, reaching only 6.3% of the content stated on the label. The sample was taken by the Hanoi Center for Drug, Cosmetic and Food Testing at An An Pharmacy at the above address.

Proposal to trace the origin of Theophylline drug

Faced with the above signs, the Drug Administration of Vietnam requested the Hanoi Department of Health to strictly handle the violating facility according to regulations and urgently trace the origin of the batch of drug products that do not meet quality requirements.

At the same time, the units are required to notify drug trading and usage 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.

Theophylline Extended is a bronchodilator that relaxes smooth muscles in the airways and improves lung ventilation, so it is commonly used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

MINH KHANG

Source: https://www.sggp.org.vn/phat-hien-thuoc-tri-benh-hen-gia-duoc-ban-tai-nha-thuoc-o-ha-noi-post797328.html