Police called in to assist food and drug dept. in fake drugs probe

Two weeks after a sweep was carried out at the markets in and around Georgetown, and a number of substandard/falsified (SF) medications at local pharmacies was discovered, the Guyana Police Force (GPF) has been called in to assist the Government Analyst Food and Drug Department (GA-FDD) in its quest to locate a distributor who is manufacturing and selling a number of pharmaceuticals under conditions that are not authorized.
This revelation was made after a complaint was lodged at the GA-FDD in relation to the issue at hand, which resulted in the launch of an investigation.
During the sweep, according to information released by the GA-FDD, inspectors visited 16 pharmacies on August 22, 2019 and August 23, 2019. The SF drugs were found at nine of the locations and these products were seized and removed from the retailed premises.
At the locations, a total of 17 boxes of a medication labeled “chanca piedra phosmovite”, sold at an average price of G$3,500, which claims to treat gall and kidney stones, clean the liver and the urinary tract were found.
Also found were 28 boxes of a product named “Fungabort”, sold at an average price of G$1,000, which claims to be effective in the treatment of nail fungus. In addition, a sum of 23 boxes of “Phosferine”, sold at an average price of G$3,000, were also seized and removed from premises.
It was reported that ingredients used, in some of the products, could be detrimental to end users. This is according to a source familiar with the state of affairs.
In an interview with this publication, Food and Drugs Director, Mr Marlan Cole, stated that a country-wide sweep will be done to see if the illegal items are being retailed at locations other than the ones reported. Details of the countrywide exercise are likely to be released by next month, he said.
The Department, he said, is currently in a position to aggressively implement measures to protect consumers from the associated dangers of SF medications. To aid its investigations, the Department examined the products individually and the batch numbers and tried to trace these back to the facility where they were manufactured. If that cannot be traced it will confirm the allegation of the item being processed locally.
With the next step being for them to locate the distributor, the Director speculated that such a person operating illegally may be found operating a mini-lab in his or her home, photocopying some labels, buying bottles from another country which is similar to the ones used in Guyana which are then pasted on to labels before distributing them for sale.
According to Cole, if the distributor is found to be operating under illegal circumstances legal actions will be taken for him to be prosecuted. Currently the punishment for such acts incur a fine of up G$30,000 along with six months’ imprisonment.
The GA-FDD found it necessary to seek the assistance from the Guyana Police Force since the retailers had no paperwork which trace back to the distributor or manufacturer of the products.
The Food and Drugs Department is therefore advising all pharmacies to immediately desist from the practice of purchasing and retailing medication to be used by patients from walk-in-salesmen (suitcase traders) who refuse to provide invoices or adequate receipt or other records for traceability purposes.
Information provided to this publication reveal that one of the products sold is made with ‘Caustic Soda’ better known as Sodium Hydroxide which is broken down as an ingredient of one the products.