Duterte Fight Against Fake Drugs
Verification of fake drugs in the market was reported from the United Laboratories Inc. (Unilab) to public. President Rodrigo Duterte has commanded the Philippine National Police (PNP) to arrest and charge the people behind the manufacturing and selling of counterfeit paracetamol tablets along with other fake drugs.
Fake Drugs
In the world of medication, people rely mostly in prescribed drugs to cure their ailments. Being one of the most commonly used and in high demand, the paracetamol tablets have been one of the major target for the production of fake drugs. Paracetamol tablets are in high demand due to its general effect of relieving pain and fever from mild to moderate range. It is commonly mixed with cold medications that forms well to what we call today as Biogesic tablets.
According to Unilab, fake Biogesic tablets appear much brighter or paler than the usual.
After Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the warning of fake drugs in the market, Duterte immediately gave orders to Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo of Davao City. The hunt for counterfeit 500-milligrams Biogesic paracetamol tablets began!
Arrest and Charge!!!
President Duterte has ordered the PNP chief to arrest all persons who manufacture, import, distribute, sell, administer, fake drugs,” said Chief Panelo.
They will be charged with economic sabotage because those acts undermine not only the economy because it will affect the law of supply and demand and affect the prices, but it also threatens the security of the nation because it endangers the vast health of our people,” he added.
Fake Drugs – Against the Law
To anyone who manufactures, sells and distribute fake drugs, a maximum life imprisonment and 5 million pesos fine will be charged (should a counterfeit drug be the proximate cause of death of a victim). This is under the Republic Act No. 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs. Meanwhile, in Republic Act 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009 also prohibits the importation, selling or offering for sale of counterfeit fake medicines.
