Fake Medicines

Fake medicines

February 16, 2022 People's Tonight 288 views

PRESIDENT Duterte, whose six-year presidency ends at 12 noon on June 30, wants sellers and distributors of “fake medicines” to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.

He told the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and Philippine National Police (PNP) to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted.

“For me, there should be follow-up in the prosecution to stop this. Maybe, you will just apprehend them, and nothing more,” President Duterte told the FDA officer-in-charge (OIC).

FDA Deputy Director-General Dr. Oscar Gutierrez said many sari-sari or variety stores were selling fake medicines in violation of the Pharmacy Law and the FDA Act of 2009.

Gutierrez added FDA suspects that sari-sari stores are themselves victims of people involved in the sale and distribution of “fake medicines” in various parts of the country.

To address the problem. Dr. Gutierrez called on the country’s local government units to pass ordinances prohibiting sari-sari or variety stores from selling medicines.

But the proposal drew varied reactions from the people, with some of them branding it as “anti-poor.”

A poor resident said: “Mahirap ito, lalo na kung gabi. Paano na lang kung may magtatae o namimilipit na sa sakit ng ulo sa isang barangay na malayo sa bayan at wala namang sasakyan?”

Another resident agreed with the proposal of Dr. Gutierrez, who is FDA officer-in-charge, but urged concerned government authorities to set up drug stores in all villages.

“Ang mga opisyal at kawani ng barangay na lang ang tatao sa mga drug store na ito para naman hindi kawawa ang mga mahihirap,” added a lady registered voter.

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