Saudi Arabia seeks deeper multilateral cooperation for shared development, says foreign minister at BRICS summit    SAMA announces launch of new e-commerce payments interface    Alkhorayef emphasizes Saudi keenness on leveraging Russia's industrial expertise    Commercial registrations for holiday homes and chalets jump 42% in 2Q 2025    HADAF signs deal to support Saudis in hospitality and culinary arts fields    Saudi Arabia participates in UNCITRAL annual session in Vienna    HONOR returns to Esports World Cup as Official Smartphone Partner for 2025 The renewed commitment will see HONOR elevate mobile esports competition with cutting-edge AI technologies and industry-leading hardware    Trump calls Musk's new political party 'ridiculous'    Israel launches strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen    Central Nairobi sealed off ahead of Kenyan protests    81 dead and dozens missing in Texas floods as more rain looms    Saudi Arabia reaffirms dedication to achieving equitable and sustainable digital development    Saudi, British FMs discuss regional developments in phone call    Riot Games responds to match-fixing allegations in VALORANT    BLAST responds to BESTIA Visa controversy ahead of CS2 Austin major    Christophe Galtier named NEOM SC head coach ahead of historic Saudi Pro League debut    Michael Madsen, actor of 'Kill Bill' and 'Reservoir Dogs' fame, dead at 67    BTS are back: K-pop band confirm new album and tour    Michelin Guide launches in Saudi Arabia with phased rollout in 2025    'How fragile we are': Roskilde Festival tragedy remembered 25 years on    Sholay: Bollywood epic roars back to big screen after 50 years with new ending    Ministry launches online booking for slaughterhouses on eve of Eid Al-Adha    Shah Rukh Khan makes Met Gala debut in Sabyasachi    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Weak monitoring blamed for fake medicines on the market
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 18 - 01 - 2016

JEDDAH — Unauthorized medicines and pharmaceuticals are regularly marketed in the Kingdom and many Saudis blame a weak clearance and monitoring system for the unhealthy trend. Medicines that are proved to be dangerous to the patients are removed from the market only after several days, they say.
Mohammed Dahhas, executive director of inspections and implementation of laws at the Saudi Food and Drugs Authority (SFDA), said his organization has prevented entry of 1,705 pharmaceuticals and warned against eight fake drugs that were brought into the Kingdom illegally.
Saeed Al-Zahrani said the pharmaceutical market in the Kingdom has seen warnings about certain medicines and drugs before they are confiscated or withdrawn from the market.
"The most surprising thing is that how these medicines enter the market in the first place," he said. "Most of these dangerous drugs are withdrawn only after many people have already consumed them."
Yousuf Al-Najjar highlighted the danger posed by such medicines to public health. "Authorities should have prevented these drugs before they entered the market."
Saud Al-Garni urged the authorities to take quick action to remove dangerous drugs from the market and punish those who smuggle them into the Kingdom.
Dahhas said his organization had warned citizens and residents about using certain drugs last year. Zino Coffee, Xian Ling, Easy Slim, Paiyouji natural slimming capsule, AB Slim and VIP Royal Honey were some of them.
"Last year the authority warned against a number of dangerous drugs through the national center for medical alert and safety," he said.
"We have also restricted the use of Pregabalin to government and private hospitals and government health centers after knowing that it causes drowsiness and intoxication to some patients if misused," he explained.
Asked about the delay in giving warning to the public about dangerous medication, Dahhas said: "The authority had warned the public against using fake and unauthorized drugs. In fact, such medicines are not registered with the SFDA and enter the Kingdom illegally, making the monitoring difficult," he pointed out. These drugs are marketed by unauthorized agencies and shops, he added.
Dahhas insisted that fake drugs that have entered the market were not cleared by the authority. "We coordinate with the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs, the Health Ministry, the Commerce and Industry Ministry and the Customs Control whenever we notice the sale of any dangerous or suspicious drug in order to take action," he explained.
Faisal Al-Zahrani, director of public relations at the Health Ministry, said the ministry was ready to coordinate with all relevant departments and agencies to protect the health of citizens and residents.
"There is permanent cooperation and partnership between the Health Ministry and the SFDA with regard to medicines from the time of their production until they reach the patients. We inform directorates of health in the regions about SFDA's directives to withdraw certain medicines," he said.
Al-Zahrani added: "All medicines at pharmacies are registered and their prices are fixed by the ministry."
Studies are continuing to reduce the side effects of certain medicines. "A medicine is withdrawn when it is found that its consumption would be harmful to patients."
He said the SFDA would not allow the import of pharmaceuticals whose sources and composition are not known, adding that it regularly warns the public against using such drugs. "The SFDA is responsible for sanctioning the entry of any medicine or pharmaceuticals into the Kingdom," he added.


Clic here to read the story from its source.