Health ministry shuts down five pharmacies

Dubai: The Ministry of Health has shut down five pharmacies across the UAE for repeated violations of the laws regulating pharmaceutical practice and medical ethics.

Dr Ameen Bin Hussain Al Amiri, executive director of Medical Practice and Licensing and chairman of the Pharmaceutical Licensing committee at the ministry, said these violations included the employment of non-licensed pharmacists and allowing administrators to work as pharmacists in the absence of the pharmacist in charge.

They also included failure to meet the conditions of good work such as keeping controlled drugs in locked cabinets, as well as other violations.

Al Amiri said these violations negatively affect public health and can cause serious harm to patients taking medicines.

He pointed out the risk posed by non-licensed pharmacists who practice the profession, as they are not qualified and lack the scientific knowledge that allows them to dispense the right medicines and explain how to use them.

They also have no accurate knowledge of the right generic and brand names of drugs.

Al Amiri urged the public to be careful when taking medicines by verifying their validity and reading the information on the drug leaflet.

He said the ministry is keen to monitor all pharmaceutical establishments and carries out regular inspections to ensure that all rules are followed.