Pharmacists Task NASS On Stringent Laws Over Fake Drugs

In a renewed effort to eradicate the menace of fake drugs and counterfeit health products in the country, pharmacists under the aegis of Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) have called for more stringent laws to deter perpetrators.

Describing the distributors of fake drugs and unwholesome foods and drinks as merchants of death, ACPN, apparently dissatisfied with existing penalties which ranged from N500, 000.00 and five years jail term for offenders, recommended minimum penalties of between N20m and N50m, while jail terms must be in the region of 20 years.

In a document signed by ACPN national chairman, Mr. Ezeh Ambrose and national secretary, Mrs. Ashore Omokhafe, the body commended the sustained and improved regulatory control activities of the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) and National Agency for Drug and Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in recent weeks which led to the sealing of some premises in different parts of the country.

“For us in the ACPN the high point of the progressive efforts of the PCN and NAFDAC was the extraction of irrevocable undertakings which committed the holding companies of the Coordinated Wholesale Centres(CWC) in Lagos, Aba and Onitsha to defined timelines within which the Coordinated Wholesale Centres in the three locations will be ready.

“It is imperative to also salute the operators in these three reflected drug markets for committing themselves to the process of relocating from the existing Open Drug Markets to the Coordinated Wholesale Centres as soon as it is ready for operation,’’ they said.

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Commenting on the expected benefits of the collaborative efforts of PCN and NAFDAC in the fight against the distribution of fake drugs in the country, ACPN is optimistic of positive results down the value chain.

It said, ‘’The synergies with which these agreements and undertakings were brokered between the respective stakeholders and the regulatory agencies gives so much hope that the value chain of the drug distribution will be normalised in the foreseeable future.

“The ACPN particularly solicits the maximum cooperation of the Lagos, Abia and Anambra state governments to give all necessary approvals including infrastructure to make the Coordinated Wholesale Centres see the light of day.

‘’It is also very strategic to convey our gratitude to the Anambra State government and Abia State government which have also shown interest in making financial commitments to the Coordinated Wholesale Centres in their respective States.’’

ACPN called on the PCN and NAFDAC to ensure routine monitoring and control procedures in these drug markets pending their eventual relocation to the Coordinated Wholesale Centres on completion.

“Specifically, we anticipate that NAFDAC will continue to ensure that drugs and medical equipment put up for sale on these locations conform with quality assurance and control benchmarks.’’

The body tasked its parent body, the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria (PCN) to step up its control to ensure compliance in the storage and sales of drugs in accordance with the law. ‘’PCN on the other hand must ensure that storage standards and drug layouts are complied with to ensure the drugs on sale do not undergo accelerated degradation due to poor handling,’’ it said.

ACPN further called on the PCN and NAFDAC to extend the regulatory efforts in the major drug markets in the country into the hinterland for a holistic mop-up effect.