MoH orders investigation into trading of unlicensed COVID drugs
The Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health (MoH) has officially requested the HCM City Health Department to check the information about the trading of COVID-19 drugs on social networks, which are still under trial and have not yet been licensed.
The Drug Administration made the request after several newspapers reported that several drugs containing molnupiravir and favipiravir, antiviral substances that are still undergoing clinical trials for COVID-19 treatment, are now on sale on social media and other online platforms.
The trading of unlicensed drugs is a serious violation of the Law on Pharmacy, posing dangers to people’s health, undermining the effort to prevent and control the pandemic, as well as increasing the risk of counterfeit and smuggled medicines.
Against this backdrop, the Drug Administration has ordered an urgent investigation into the case, clarifying the responsibility of the medical facilities in HCM City that are in charge of storing and doing clinical trials on the abovementioned drugs.
Violations must be strictly handled to prevent the smuggling of trial drugs to the market.
The Ho Chi Minh City Health Department should also coordinate with the local authorities and agencies, including Committee for Prevention of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Counterfeit Goods and city police forces, to investigate the case of trading unlicensed COVID-19 treatment drugs, as well as medicines of unknown origin.
The Drug Administration has also ordered a review on the quantity of COVID-19 medication at medical facilities. If there is a shortage of COVID medication, the Health Department should take necessary measures to address the situation and ensure sufficient supply of medicine for COVID-19 patients.
After investigation, the municipal Health Department should give information about the case to the press according to its authority and report it to the Drug Administration and the ministry’s leaders.
