FDA warns of dangers of using unlicensed or fake drugs after raid on Bangkok producer

[webfact]

FDA warns of dangers of using unlicensed or fake drugs after raid on Bangkok producer

By The Nation

 

 

Following the seizure of 2 million unlicensed pills worth Bt5 million from a Bangkok medication-maker on Friday, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday warned people about using unlicensed or fake treatments that could lead to serious or even fatal side effects.

 

A police source said the confiscated medicines likely comprised corticosteroids, erectile dysfunction-treating medicine and sleeping pills.

 

During a press conference announcing the illegal-medicine bust at the Royal Thai Police’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD), FDA secretary-general Dr Tares Krassnairawiwong said that after his agency had detected the use of unlicensed medication at a number of illegal clinics, it joined with the CPD to conduct an in-depth investigation resulting in the search of two target locations in Bangkok. 

 

At a limited partnership company in Soi On Nut 67 of Prawet district, officers confiscated for further inspection a total of 2 million pills worth Bt5 million, although the types of drug were yet to be confirmed and either did not carry any drug formula licence number on the label or had no label at all, Tares said. 

“Anyone who sees any pharmacy shop or medical facility that sells unlicensed medicine, or sells medication without a pharmacist’s presence, can alert the FDA hotline 1556,” he added. 

 

CPD deputy commander Pol Colonel Winai Wongbuppha said police had already been notified of a suspect linked to the limited partnership company, and were also investigating the pharmacist at the company’s pharmacy store to see if the individual in question should also be subjected to a Pharmacy Council disciplinary probe.

 

FDA deputy secretary-general Dr Supattra Boonserm said most of the confiscated medicine, which should have been under the care of medical professionals, carried no drug formula licence numbers, hence if people used these treatments, which may turn out to be fake or of poor quality, they could develop serious or even fatal side effects. 

 

She urged all pharmacies and medical facilities nationwide to be careful when procuring medicines for retail distribution, and to make sure the products were legal and purchased from credible sources. 

 

The selling of unlicensed medicine is punishable with a maximum imprisonment of three years and/or a maximum fine of Bt5,000, Supattra said.

 

If the unlicensed medicine turned out to be a Category 4 psychotropic substance, it could lead to two to 10 years in jail and a fine of Bt200,000-Bt1 million, she added.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30368578

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-30

[bluesofa]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

and either did not carry any drug formula licence number on the label or had no label at all

So how do the public know what's genuine or not?

 

I'm just looking at some drugs issued to my wife by a public hospital. There's no reference number on the printed label on the resealable bag the drugs came in. There's a drug name on the blister pack itself, but how does anyone know if they're genuine or not?

 

[justin case]

2 million pills worth Bt5 million, ????? 

 

so an erection pill is only 2.5 baht ?  

 

and they sell it 50x more expensive

 

well, if you need a pill to get your d. hard, you need to get to check your brain

 

seriously... if you have d. erection problems, go check your HEART as the veins in your d. are smaller than your heart ... it is an early warning signal

 

laugh with it or not ... up to you

[faraday]

The actual cost of making a Pharmaceutical drug in the factory is extremely low.

 

However, bringing a drug to market involves extensive trials, & is hugely expensive. Pharma has to recoup their costs, but once successful, the profits are astronomical.

 

As for fake drugs & knowing which are genuine. Apart from sub- standard packing, I don't think, in general terms we can know.

[RotBenz8888]

On 4/30/2019 at 8:31 AM, bluesofa said:

So how do the public know what's genuine or not?

 

I'm just looking at some drugs issued to my wife by a public hospital. There's no reference number on the printed label on the resealable bag the drugs came in. There's a drug name on the blister pack itself, but how does anyone know if they're genuine or not?

 

One can only hope that those fakes are sugarpills....