MEDICINES AND INJECTABLES ARRIVE ILLEGALLY IN SUITCASES - THEY ARE SOLD OR ADMINISTERED UNCONTROLLABLY TO CITIZENS - STRICT WARNING FROM THE PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES - Filenews 27/3 by Marilena Panayi
Suitcases full of injectable drugs for weight loss, injectable preparations administered for aesthetic reasons, medicines for various diseases and even hormonal preparations for gynaecological use, are carried from abroad and mainly from Greece, by health professionals, their representatives and not only, to Cyprus.
After the detection of specific quantities in the possession of professionals or in clinics or other structures providing health services, but also after similar information and complaints, the Pharmaceutical Services of the state proceeded to issue a strict circular stressing that this practice may endanger the health of citizens.
In their circular, the Pharmaceutical Services emphasize that the import, supply, possession, distribution and distribution of pharmaceutical products in the Republic "is allowed exclusively through the legal and approved supply chain", in accordance with the current pharmaceutical legislation.
As clarified, based on the Law on Medicines for Human Use, the import and distribution of medicines for commercial purposes is allowed only by persons or organizations that hold the required licenses, while products marketed in the Republic "must hold a valid marketing authorization in accordance with the Law or have relevant approval from the Medicines Council".
At the same time, pharmacies can procure pharmaceutical products "only from the persons referred to in article 35 of the Pharmaceutical and Poisons Law".
The Pharmaceutical Services report that they have already received information that "in some cases pharmaceutical products are imported or traded outside the legal supply chain", with the aim of making them available to the public, stressing that such practices "are absolutely illegal and pose a serious risk to public health", as they bypass the control mechanisms that ensure the quality, safety and effectiveness of medicines.
The message is particularly clear that in the event that "doctors, pharmacists or any other natural or legal persons" are found to be involved in such practices, they "will be treated as a serious violation of the law".
As noted, in such cases there will be a "referral of the cases to the competent prosecuting authorities" or even "submission of a proposal for the imposition of administrative fines by the Medicines Council", while it is clarified that "the controls of the Pharmaceutical Services will be intensified" and any violation "will be treated with zero tolerance".
The circular was sent to Professional Associations, Bodies representing hospitals and/or other Health professionals with the Pharmaceutical Services calling on everyone to comply.
As explained to Filenews, even if these preparations are licensed in the country from which they come, the risk for the citizens who receive them remains as in the event that an issue of their unsuitability arises and their withdrawal follows for safety reasons, the competent authority in Cyprus is impossible to locate them as it is not even aware of their import into Cyprus.
The situation is even more uncontrollable in cases where similar preparations are transferred to the areas controlled by the Republic from the occupied territories.
