Determined to push back fake drugs and fake foods

Recently, the Ministry of Public Security and other competent authorities have continuously discovered and investigated cases of manufacturing and trading fake drugs, fake milk and fake health food on a large scale and over a long period of time, causing public outrage. The Prime Minister requested the People's Committees of provinces and cities to organize peak periods of general review and inspection of compliance with the law on pharmaceuticals and food safety.

Associate Professor, Dr. Tran Quang Hien, Director of An Giang Department of Health , chaired the provincial bridge to strengthen inspection of compliance with legal regulations on pharmaceuticals and food safety.

Typically, the case of producing, trading and consuming fake milk powder in large quantities in Hanoi and neighboring provinces. The Investigation Police Agency (IPA) of the Ministry of Public Security has prosecuted and temporarily detained 15 subjects. For the case of producing and trading counterfeit goods, medicines, and disease prevention drugs in Thanh Hoa province and many provinces and cities nationwide. The Investigation Police Agency of Thanh Hoa Province has prosecuted the case and prosecuted 14 subjects for the crime of producing and trading counterfeit medicines and disease prevention drugs. In the case of producing health protection foods, using fake test results to bring products to market produced by Herbitech Company Limited, the Investigation Police Agency of the Ministry of Public Security has issued a decision to prosecute the accused, an arrest warrant for temporary detention, and a search warrant for 4 suspects. During the investigation of this case, it was determined that 2 health protection products produced by Herbitech Company Limited were counterfeit. At the same time, 115 samples of health protection products produced by Herbitech Company with signs of being counterfeit goods were seized and are awaiting appraisal results.

It is condemnable that the recent fake milk incident is really serious, especially for products directly related to children and sick people - those who need special nutrition. This is a very serious violation of business ethics by organizations and individuals who, for profit, have joined hands to establish an organized network to profit for a long time. They defy the provisions of the law, disregarding the health of the people for profit. These are very condemnable acts and need to be strictly handled to serve as a lesson for organizations and individuals producing and trading functional foods.

Director of the Food Safety Department ( Ministry of Health ) Tran Viet Nga said that each year, there are about 23,800 foods that self-declare products, of which nearly 4,800 products self-declare as dietary supplements; about 9,200 foods register product declarations (about 8,800 health protection foods, nearly 100 medical nutritional foods and more than 300 foods for special diets). Because of the right to give enterprises (DN) to self-declare and be responsible for product quality. Therefore, the dossiers sent by enterprises to the authorities are not reviewed and the enterprises are allowed to produce and trade immediately. However, for profit, some enterprises, regardless of ethics, have produced and traded counterfeit goods, goods that do not ensure quality...

In 2024, the entire health sector inspected 354,820 establishments, detecting 22,073 establishments violating food safety. 9,043 establishments were handled, accounting for 41% of the number of violating establishments, nearly double that of the same period in 2023. Of which, 6,658 establishments were fined, with a total amount of 33 billion VND. In An Giang, the whole province established 487 food safety inspection teams, inspected 13,437 establishments, with 13,299 establishments passing, a rate of 99%. Fines of 32 million VND were handled for 8 violating establishments; 534 rapid tests were conducted, achieving 508 tests (95%).

According to the health sector, violations related to the production and trade of counterfeit drugs have not been thoroughly handled, and there are still cases occurring. The products produced are sophisticated and difficult to detect, and counterfeit goods focus on health-protecting functional foods, dairy products, spice powders, and cooking oils. The main causes of counterfeit food production and trading are: high profits, taking advantage of the open management mechanism, the level of sophistication in the production and trade of counterfeit food, and low consumer awareness.

In addition, the legal system and management work still have many shortcomings, creating loopholes for dishonest businesses to take advantage of producing and trading fake and poor quality food. Many consumers do not fully understand and clearly distinguish between food, medicine and health protection food; easily believe in false advertising, buy goods online without carefully checking the origin and source of the product... The post-inspection force and funding to carry out this work are still thin and lacking.

In order to promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle the production and trade of fake medicines, fake milk and fake health protection foods, the Prime Minister requested the Ministry of Public Security to speed up the investigation and promptly handle discovered cases. Local police must grasp the situation, promptly detect, prevent, not let violations escape and strictly handle violations of the law related to the production and trade of fake medicines, fake milk and fake health protection foods. The Ministry of Health must strengthen inspection of compliance with legal regulations on pharmaceuticals and food safety, strengthen State management of cosmetics, and prevent violations from occurring.

People expect the authorities to step up inspections, promptly detect, prevent and strictly handle the production and trading of counterfeit and poor quality goods. In particular, they should recall the counterfeit medicines, fake milk and fake health protection foods that have been discovered, to promptly prevent and minimize harm to the people.

HANH CHAU

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/quyet-tam-day-lui-thuoc-gia-thuc-pham-gia-a421704.html