Model pharmacies

The government should take stringent measures against manufacturing and selling of fake medicines in the interest of public health

That the government has taken an initiative to set up ‘model pharmacies’ across the country, aiming at stopping the sale of counterfeit, fake and substandard medicines, is a good piece of news. The sale of these drugs is a threat to the public health. According to a report in this newspaper on Saturday, each divisional headquarters, district and upazila will have the model pharmacies to be set with technical assistance from Accredited Drug Seller project of the US-based Management Science for Health (MSH). Adulterated and low quality medicines are being produced and sold in different places of the country, including the capital city, exposing the consumers to serious health hazards.  
  Medicines cure a person. But when medicines themselves are adulterated they pose serious threat to life.  Apparently, it is difficult to identify spurious medicines because they look as usual. Owners of medicine shops without license located at different places of the country, particularly in rural areas, are mainly engaged in selling sub-standard medicines. The counterfeit medicines are sold at comparatively cheap prices.
So, the ignorant and gullible buyers buy those for consumption in good faith and are cheated outright. Adulteration of medicines began in the country a few years ago and this practice is gaining strength with the passage of time. There are scores of dishonest traders and others who are controlling the business. Consumers are utterly helpless in the hands of these notorious elements.
According to doctors, consumption of adulterated medicines may cause havoc. There are incidents of making fake medicines like antibiotics and oral saline at different places of the country, including the capital city. Unearthing of fake medicine factories are making newspaper headlines too. Members of the law enforcement agencies seize the factories, arrest some persons responsible, realise fines of varying amounts and that’s all. In some cases, the perpetrators go scot-free after greasing the palms of a section of dishonest members of the law enforcers.
There are 168 pharmaceutical companies in the country but only 62 follow the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Only 50 to 60 pharmaceutical companies produce medicines of good quality and 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the companies are producing medicines of low quality. The government should take stringent measures against manufacturing and selling of fake medicines in the interest of public health.

Model pharmacies

The government should take stringent measures against manufacturing and selling of fake medicines in the interest of public health

That the government has taken an initiative to set up model pharmacies across the country, aiming at stopping the sale of counterfeit, fake and substandard medicines, is a good piece of news. The sale of these drugs is a threat to the public health. According to a report in this newspaper on Saturday, each divisional headquarters, district and upazila will have the model pharmacies to be set with technical assistance from Accredited Drug Seller project of the US-based Management Science for Health (MSH). Adulterated and low quality medicines are being produced and sold in different places of the country, including the capital city, exposing the consumers to serious health hazards. Medicines cure a person. But when medicines themselves are adulterated they pose serious threat to life. Apparently, it is difficult to identify spurious medicines because they look as usual. Owners of medicine shops without license located at different places of the country, particularly in rural areas, are mainly engaged in selling sub-standard medicines. The counterfeit medicines are sold at comparatively cheap prices. So, the ignorant and gullible buyers buy those for consumption in good faith and are cheated outright. Adulteration of medicines began in the country a few years ago and this practice is gaining strength with the passage of time. There are scores of dishonest traders and others who are controlling the business. Consumers are utterly helpless in the hands of these notorious elements. According to doctors, consumption of adulterated medicines may cause havoc. There are incidents of making fake medicines like antibiotics and oral saline at different places of the country, including the capital city. Unearthing of fake medicine factories are making newspaper headlines too. Members of the law enforcement agencies seize the factories, arrest some persons responsible, realise fines of varying amounts and thats all. In some cases, the perpetrators go scot-free after greasing the palms of a section of dishonest members of the law enforcers. There are 168 pharmaceutical companies in the country but only 62 follow the guidelines of the World Health Organisation (WHO). Only 50 to 60 pharmaceutical companies produce medicines of good quality and 50 per cent to 60 per cent of the companies are producing medicines of low quality. The government should take stringent measures against manufacturing and selling of fake medicines in the interest of public health.