New plan to tackle fake drugs

[geovalin]

Pech Sotheary

The ministries of health and interior introduced a joint strategy yesterday to curb illegal medical practices and the use of fraudulent health products.

The plan comes after the massive HIV outbreak in Battamabang – where tainted injections administered by an unlicensed doctor were largely blamed for infecting more than 230 people, according to NCHADS, the national AIDS authority – and recent discoveries of other illegal health services and the trafficking of fake medical products.

“These are inhuman acts that always lead to serious health and living problems for people . . . so [we] have released a joint declaration and plan that will act as a compass for officials to implement laws and make their work more effective and transparent,” acting Interior Minister Em Sam An said.

Under the new strategy, informal negotiations with offenders are banned, and authorities who collude with suspects by doctoring evidence will receive severe punishment.

The plan also charges municipal and provincial officials to closely monitor local medical establishments and pharmacies, traditional medicine and food stores and the advertisements related to them.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/new-plan-tackle-fake-drugs