Strictly handle for violations on counterfeit and low quality medicine and supplemental food

	Hanoi: Interdisciplinary jump into the fight of anti-smuggling, counterfeit and non-conformity goods in the health field
	Customs strengthen on controlling medicine and cosmetics
	Allow to preserve veterinary medicines and raw material for producing veterinary medicines in the warehouse of enterprises

The Customs force coordinated with other competent forces to handle many cases of smuggling of cosmetics, supplemental foods in border route in Quang Ninh province. Photo: Q.H

On 24th October 2018, the Minister of Health issued Plan 1136/ KH-BYT on the continuous implementation of the Prime Minister's Directive 17/CT-TTg dated 19th June 2018, strengthening on fighting against smuggling, trade fraud, the production and trading of counterfeit goods and low quality goods for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, and traditional medicinal herbs and medicine.

Accordingly, from November 2018 to January 2019, the Ministry of Health will establish 3 inter-agency inspection teams to assess the license, circulation, advertisement, verification and certification on quality, technical regulations conformity for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, traditional medicinal herbs and medicine at a number of units.

At the same time, the Ministry of Health has proposed relevant agencies such as the Customs, the Market Surveillance, and the Police to strengthen the fight against smuggling, trade frauds, production and trading of counterfeit goods and low quality goods for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, traditional medicinal herbs and medicine before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2019.

According to the leaders of the Ministry of Health, this inspection also aims to promptly detect loopholes and shortcomings in the state management of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, traditional medicinal herbs and medicine. Recommend to competent authorities on measures to remove shortcomings and improve the state management for pharmaceuticals and food safety.

For production and business establishments, the inspection shall focus on the conditions on facilities and equipment meeting the requirements related to the business and production for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, traditional medicinal herbs and medicine at the inspected units.

Regarding the implementation of Directive No. 17/ CT-TTg on intensifying the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, the business and production of counterfeit goods and low-quality goods for pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, medicine and traditional medicine of the Health sector over the past time, Chief Inspector of Ministry of Health Dang Van Chinh said that from 1st January 2107 to 29th June 2019, the Health sector’s units inspected and supervised 44,826 samples of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, supplemental foods, and traditional medicinal herbs and medicine. Among 946 samples that did not met quality standards, 417 samples were stopped for circulation and withdrawn, 903 templates for notification of cosmetics product were withdrawn.

At the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health, from 1st April 2018 to 15th September 2018, Chief Inspector of the Ministry signed decisions on establishment of 12 inspection teams for the direct inspection at 74 establishments and verification at 7 units.

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Regarding the handling for administrative violations, from 1st January 2018 to 15th September 2018, the Chief Inspector of the Ministry signed and issued 27 decisions on sanctioning administrative violations against 27 units with total fine of VND 983,750,000, of which, VND 772,500,000 for 21 establishments engaged in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and VND 211,250,000 for 6 establishments engaged in food safety.