Mistakes related to counterfeit goods, fake goods, and commercial fraud in health fields is increasing

Customs authorities inspected imported milk. Photo: Thu Hòa

At the meeting, Mr. Pham Le Tuan, Deputy Minister of Health, and members of Steering Committee 389 said that, in 2016, in the pharmaceutical sector, the Ministry of Health inspected and checked 137 facilities and detected 111 cases of violations, an increase by 16% compared to 2015; the total amount of arrears was 9.21 billion VND, rose by 57% compared to 2015. In the food sector, the total number of cases found in violation was 133 cases; the total amount of arrears was 12.54 billion VND, increased by 172% compared to 2015.

In the pharmaceutical sector, the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Environmental Police Department (C 49); Criminal investigation of economic and corruption Police Department (C 46) - The Ministry of Public Security, Police of Gia Lam District, Market Management Branch in Gia Lam inspected a truck that was carrying medicine, and medicinal shipments. As a result, detected 374 kinds of medical herbs, with a total weight was 45.9 tons of medicine without origin.

In medical equipment, the Ministry of Health collaborated with Market Management Team No. 11 of the Hanoi Market Management Branch, Investigative Police – HCMC Police, and the Life and Law Newspaper to investigate and verify some enterprises trading in medical equipment.

In the fight against commercial fraud and fake goods, there are some existing difficulties and challenges, so in 2017, Mr. Tuan said that this work will be set as an important target of the Ministry of Health.

Accordingly, the specific measures implemented in 2017 are: strengthen to inspect and check items as food, functional food, food additives, banned substances in food processing, cosmetics, pharmaceutical data, in key areas, gate areas; Actively coordinate with functional forces (police, Customs, market management) in the fight against smuggling, commercial fraud and counterfeiting in the medical field.

Continue to promote propaganda about fake goods, unqualified goods, unknown origin, that affect health, and people's lives for items such as food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, functional food, food additives, and banned substances in food processing, on the mass media.