‘Need to end cheating in pharmaceutical industry’

Health minister opens int’l conference

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 27, (KUNA): The inflating phenomenon of cheating in the pharmaceutical industry, which negatively affects individuals’ health and states’ economies, should be ended by applying harsher punishment, Health Minister announced Wednesday.

Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Health Minister Sheikh Mohammad Al-Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah made this remark at the opening ceremony of the international conference on anti-counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical industry.

The Minister stressed that taking the right measures to put a stop to medicine counterfeitng would lead to a healthier society and more reasonable health care expenses. He said that the Kuwaiti leadership gives utmost attention to the health care sector so it could provide a free high quality services to Kuwaiti citizens.

He added that the amount allocated annually to improving the health sector in the country is the greatest indication of the magnitude of attention given to it; hence, comes the organization and the hosting of conferences, workshops and other activities.

The Health Ministry has a technical role only in tracking the fake medicines, Sheikh Mohammad said. Therefore, in order to eliminate this negative phenomenon all government bodies as well as health bodies in the GCC and Arab countries should collaborate together and exchange expertise in how to take measures against these counterfeited medicines. He stressed that the first line of defense against this problem is customs that check these items into the country.

Counterfeit

Undersecretary of Saudi Arabia Health Minister Salah bin Fahad said, in his speech, that counterfeit medicine is widely spread and causes many health issues for patients that might lead to death in some instances. For that reason, this conference will recommend holding regular meetings and write up laws and regulations on this matter.

Chief of Arab Federation for Combating Forgery and Counterfeit Mutleg AlOtaibi, meanwhile, said that World Health Organization has warned against medicine counterfeiting and its detrimental effects on human health. Therefore, there is a need to setup committees to act as a dogwatch to stop the spread of this epidemic.

Director of Health Humanitarian Aid Department and the Official Technical Secretariat of the Council of Arab Health Ministers Dr Laila Negm made a similar statement on the importance of improving health services in the region, especially under the Arab League umbrella.