Bolivia promises tougher stance on fake drugs

Bolivia's Minister of Health, Ramiro Tapia, has promised to toughen up measures to combat the trade in counterfeit and substandard medicines after seizures of illegal drugs and the discovery of two illicit manufacturing facilities.

Among the measures will be a ban on the sale of medicines in street markets and the introduction of tougher sanctions for those found guilty of trading in falsified medicines.

The measures have been prompted by the seizure of more than 40 tonnes of medicines imported into Bolivia by local company Eske SRL. The products, and other items from other companies, have been seized on suspicion of being counterfeit, expired and/or adulterated, according to Bolivian press reports. A recall has been issued for medicines supplied by the firms.

Part of the effort involves the mobilisation of hundreds of medicine and pharmacy students and enforcement officers to check that pharmacies are selling legitimate medicines - within their indicated shelf-life - and are operating in compliance with Bolivia's Medicines Act. 

A report in newspaper La Prensa today indicated that 200 pharmacies had been visited in a 48-hour period earlier this week, with 26 closed down and 74 set to be fined. Those found to have no illegal medicines have been given a sticker to display.

Eske SRL is licensed to sell veterinary medicines in Bolivia but not pharmaceuticals for human use, according to the report. Tapia has also ordered an investigation into how the company obtained its license and the origin of the illegal medicines.