DOH, FDA raise red flag over fake pharmaceutical products

There are now more fake, illegal and unregistered pharmaceutical products being sold in the Philippines, according to the Department of Health and the Food and Drugs Administration.

The DOH and FDA noted almost P6 million worth of fake, unregistered, and illegal medicine or more than 500 samples have found their way into the Philippines from China, India, and Pakistan, GMA News' "Unang Balita" reported on Tuesday.

Last year, the FDA confiscated P3 million worth of illegal medicine.

The FDA and DOH warned against buying unregistered pharmaceutical products.

Last May, the FDA identified two unregistered products which "pose potential danger or injury to the consuming public." 

In an advisory, the FDA  identified the products as:

• Balsem Gosok Cap Balsem Merah Bete 17.5g Balm, made by PT Irawan Djaja agung Sidoarjo in Indonesia

• Flucinocide + Neomycin Sulfate (Fuchingsung-N) 10g cream, distributed by Shandong Medicines and Health Products Import and Export Corp.

The agency in July also warned against excessive use of the intravenous skin whitener glutathione, saying the practice could potentially cause kidney and liver problems. 

According to the FDA, among the signs of a fake product are: foul smell, not long lasting, loses original color, tampered packaging. – Jon Viktor Cabuenas/VS, GMA News