Government Sends Warning to Importers of Fake Meds

The government is sending a stern warning to persons involved in the illegal importation of counterfeit pharmaceuticals. Last year, the Ministry of Health and Wellness identified the presence of fake Tylenol pills in stores and moved to eliminate their presence on store shelves. Minister of Health Kevin Bernard spoke about the push to increase surveillance and crackdown on perpetrators.

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health and Wellness: “The Inspectorate Unit are out there every single day looking at these things and we make the caution to anybody that is bringing in medication that is counterfeit or whatever that if you’re caught we’re going to deal with you to the highest level of the law. But I must commend our Drug Inspectorate Unit that I mean these things have come to light because they’re doing their job and when we strengthen the unit, we have a director now of that unit and other supportive staff of that unit they are out there every single day. We would want to of course increase the number of personnel within that unit, of course we have go through the necessary processes. But yes these things do pop up here and there as in any other country but we have to ensure that we are on top of it every single time and that’s the commitment that the Ministry of Health and Wellness is ensuring that we are ensuring that people are getting quality medication in country. And again I make the plea to persons who may  be doing this to cease and desist because if you’re caught we will take the law to the highest level that we need to to address those matters.”

Health officials had confirmed the presence of fake Sudagrip cough medicine in June last year.  This was followed by the discovery of fake Tylenol pills in October last year.