High costs of medicines spawns parallel market of fake drugs
The high costs of medicines has given rise to the thriving illegal business of fake drugs in the UAE.
The high costs of medicines has given rise to the thriving illegal business of fake drugs in the UAE.
Smugglers blatantly even use the post to bring in the fake medicines labelled as computer software, an official said.
Dr Eisa Ahmad Bin Jakkah Al Mansouri
Fake anti-impotency drugs in the market, fast-sellers with a young population, is also a problem.
Dr Eisa Ahmad Bin Jakkah Al Mansouri, Director of the Drug Control Department, warns that the fake drugs are dangerous.
He said some of them are packaged as natural products and are smuggled from countries such as India and China.
He said most of them contain poor quality chemicals. He said it was necessary to educate people not to seek medical advice from pharmacists.
"It's difficult to understand this. A man will give Dh500 to his wife for shopping but will not spend Dh100 for a doctor's consultation."
Pharmacists said that they sell anti-impotency drugs without prescription to people who want such drugs for their family members in the US and Europe and who are embarrassed to go to a doctor for a prescription.
One pharmacist said he does not want to lose customers. He said he gives the drugs to patients who had earlier got a prescription from a doctor.
"A visit to the doctor can cost up to Dh100, and they cannot afford it. They come straight to us and can buy one [Viagra] tablet for about Dh 45."
