Govt goes tough against fake medicines

The government has realised Tk 6.66 lakh in fine and destroyed counterfeit medicines worth Tk 17 crore through conducting mobile courts as its has taken a strong stance against the marketing and selling of substandard and fake medicines in the country, reports UNB.
Some 2,169 cases were also filed by mobile courts for producing and selling adulterated and fake medicines in 2016, according to an official document obtained by the news agency. Fifty-eight people were awarded various jail terms, while 37 organisations sealed for the same reason.
Besides, 41 cases were lodged with the Drug Court while 64 cases with the Magistrate Court. A per the document, for not following the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) the government suspended licenses of 86 pharmaceuticals companies while cancelled 15 others last year.
Meanwhile, the government has taken an initiative to set up 'model pharmacies' across the country, aiming to stop the sale of counterfeit, fake and substandard medicines.
The government has already approved seven pharmacies of Dhaka city as the model pharmacy, it said. 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).
The 'model pharmacy', which will be divided into two categories Level-1 and Level-2 -- considering its size, type and activities. The Level-1 pharmacy will be conducted by Grade-A pharmacists while the Level-2 pharmacy will be run by Grade-B and C pharmacists. There will be separate counselling sections for the mass people to give them correct idea about the medicines and its usage apart from purchasing medicines from these model pharmacies across the country.
MSH, a global health nonprofit organisation, uses proven approaches developed over 40 years to help leaders, health managers, and communities and developing nations build stronger health systems for having greater health impacts.
Apart from this programme, the government has started a project for online-based reporting on web portal and mobile application regarding the adverse effects of medicines, counterfeit medicines and excessive prices of medicines. Access to Information (A2I) programme of the Prime Minister Office is providing assistance to this project. "This project is now at the piloting level," the document said.
Technovista Limited taking advice and assistance from A2I programme is developing the software. With this software, people will be able to report on the adverse impacts of medicines, and they will enquire about the rate of those.

Govt goes tough against fake medicines

The government has realised Tk 6.66 lakh in fine and destroyed counterfeit medicines worth Tk 17 crore through conducting mobile courts as its has taken a strong stance against the marketing and selling of substandard and fake medicines in the country, reports UNB. Some 2,169 cases were also filed by mobile courts for producing and selling adulterated and fake medicines in 2016, according to an official document obtained by the news agency. Fifty-eight people were awarded various jail terms, while 37 organisations sealed for the same reason. Besides, 41 cases were lodged with the Drug Court while 64 cases with the Magistrate Court. A per the document, for not following the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) the government suspended licenses of 86 pharmaceuticals companies while cancelled 15 others last year. Meanwhile, the government has taken an initiative to set up model pharmacies across the country, aiming to stop the sale of counterfeit, fake and substandard medicines. The government has already approved seven pharmacies of Dhaka city as the model pharmacy, it said. 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). The model pharmacy, which will be divided into two categories Level-1 and Level-2 -- considering its size, type and activities. The Level-1 pharmacy will be conducted by Grade-A pharmacists while the Level-2 pharmacy will be run by Grade-B and C pharmacists. There will be separate counselling sections for the mass people to give them correct idea about the medicines and its usage apart from purchasing medicines from these model pharmacies across the country. MSH, a global health nonprofit organisation, uses proven approaches developed over 40 years to help leaders, health managers, and communities and developing nations build stronger health systems for having greater health impacts. Apart from this programme, the government has started a project for online-based reporting on web portal and mobile application regarding the adverse effects of medicines, counterfeit medicines and excessive prices of medicines. Access to Information (A2I) programme of the Prime Minister Office is providing assistance to this project. This project is now at the piloting level, the document said. Technovista Limited taking advice and assistance from A2I programme is developing the software. With this software, people will be able to report on the adverse impacts of medicines, and they will enquire about the rate of those.