DOH NOW MORE AGGRESSIVE IN ITS FIGHT VS. FAKE DRUGS
Press Release/18 February 2005

The government's effort at arresting the proliferation of fake drugs across the country is starting to pay-off. After monitoring more than a hundred drug outlets last year, a number were told to close after the products they were selling were found to be fake.

The Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) of the Department of Health (DOH) monitored 206 drug outlets in 2004, where 1,176 drug products were collected for quality and safe checks. The laboratory analysis done on 20 of the said products showed that they do not conform to label claims.

BFAD officials said that the drug outlets where the said drug products were collected were then issued Preventive Closure Orders.

Meanwhile, the DOH-Center for Health Development Ilocos discovered that 80% of the drugstores and pharmacies in the Ilocos Region are selling counterfeit drugs. Through random inspection, nine (9) drugstores in the region's four (4) provinces were found by regional health officials to be selling counterfeit drugs.

The said confiscated drugs were taken to BFAD for testing and results said that most were either made of ash or flour. Some were discovered to be imported but not registered with BFAD.

The DOH, through BFAD, embarked on an awareness campaign against counterfeit drugs in recent years and launched a hotline, 1-800-10 FAKEMED (325-3633), where the public can report complaints. This endeavor is in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines .

According to BFAD, among the most common counterfeit drug products that they found in drugstores are anti-hypertensive drugs (Adalat Gits 30mg Tablet), anti-asthma (Ventolin Expectorant syrup), analgesic (Ponstan 500), anti-diarrhea (Diatabs Reformulated), and vitamins such as Propan with Iron Capsule, Ceelin 100 mg/5 mL Syrup, Enervon C and Iberet 500.

In a recent meeting with the Bureau of Customs and the pharmaceutical industry sector, a proposal to have an import notification scheme for every shipment was suggested to help eradicate counterfeiting.

For its part, the BFAD is set to do a nationwide saturation drive, post-quality monitoring of products, and intensive information dissemination, particularly with different stakeholders including local government units.