Risky pharmaceuticals: Despite ban, ‘smuggled’ drugs strengthen footing
Health experts sceptical over the drugs’ efficacy and safety.
PESHAWAR:
Illegally distributed cheaper foreign-manufactured medicines supposedly smuggled from Afghanistan have carved a sizeable market in Peshawar. Local health experts, however, are sceptical over the drugs’ efficacy and safety.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Saleem, a local shop owner, said that a sizeable number of drugs are brought from Afghanistan, so much so that an entire market of the foreign medicines has been established along Karkhano Bazaar. He claimed that the drugs are of high quality and are manufactured in Europe, India, or USA.
Saleem said that his suppliers even began providing cancer medicines produced in Europe but as the local doctors did not approve of the drugs, they discontinued the supply. He said that as the medicines are not approved by the local health department, they are mostly purchased by private practitioners in villages and other remote areas of the city. He added that highest demand is for sex tonics and Indian-manufactured Viagra.
“Afghan doctors and local practitioners are aware of and satisfied with the quality of Indian medicines, which is why they use them and keep prescribing them to patients,” said another local shopkeeper, Sher Zaman. He was of the view that being cheaper the drugs have provided “a much needed relief to people across the province”.
Riaz Arshad, an owner of a pharmaceutical company, said that the availability of such “illegal medicines” has put the local pharmaceutical industry at a disadvantage. “The illegal business of smuggling and selling foreign drugs is going on unchecked for the past couple of years and has restricted the progress of local drug manufacturers,” said Arshad. He claimed that the drugs, a majority of which are manufactured in India, are expired and pose a health risk to the people.
When asked if the quality of the smuggled medicines is actually better than the locally-produced drugs, Arshad replied: “There is no date of manufacture or expiry mentioned on these [smuggled] medicines which speaks volumes about their quality.” He urged the authorities to stop the illegal business immediately and avert a possible health catastrophe.
“The official position about these medicines is clear: these are not smuggled medicines but have possibly been stolen from Afghanistan,” Special Secretary Health Dr Noorul Iman told The Express Tribune.
He said that as the medicines have not been registered with the health department “nothing can be said about their quality”.
He said that people are putting their lives at risk by saving a few hundred rupees. He urged people to use locally-manufactured medicines that have been approved by the health department.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2012.
Illegally distributed cheaper foreign-manufactured medicines supposedly smuggled from Afghanistan have carved a sizeable market in Peshawar. Local health experts, however, are sceptical over the drugs’ efficacy and safety.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Saleem, a local shop owner, said that a sizeable number of drugs are brought from Afghanistan, so much so that an entire market of the foreign medicines has been established along Karkhano Bazaar. He claimed that the drugs are of high quality and are manufactured in Europe, India, or USA.
Saleem said that his suppliers even began providing cancer medicines produced in Europe but as the local doctors did not approve of the drugs, they discontinued the supply. He said that as the medicines are not approved by the local health department, they are mostly purchased by private practitioners in villages and other remote areas of the city. He added that highest demand is for sex tonics and Indian-manufactured Viagra.
“Afghan doctors and local practitioners are aware of and satisfied with the quality of Indian medicines, which is why they use them and keep prescribing them to patients,” said another local shopkeeper, Sher Zaman. He was of the view that being cheaper the drugs have provided “a much needed relief to people across the province”.
Riaz Arshad, an owner of a pharmaceutical company, said that the availability of such “illegal medicines” has put the local pharmaceutical industry at a disadvantage. “The illegal business of smuggling and selling foreign drugs is going on unchecked for the past couple of years and has restricted the progress of local drug manufacturers,” said Arshad. He claimed that the drugs, a majority of which are manufactured in India, are expired and pose a health risk to the people.
When asked if the quality of the smuggled medicines is actually better than the locally-produced drugs, Arshad replied: “There is no date of manufacture or expiry mentioned on these [smuggled] medicines which speaks volumes about their quality.” He urged the authorities to stop the illegal business immediately and avert a possible health catastrophe.
“The official position about these medicines is clear: these are not smuggled medicines but have possibly been stolen from Afghanistan,” Special Secretary Health Dr Noorul Iman told The Express Tribune.
He said that as the medicines have not been registered with the health department “nothing can be said about their quality”.
He said that people are putting their lives at risk by saving a few hundred rupees. He urged people to use locally-manufactured medicines that have been approved by the health department.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2012.