Public told: Be vigilant on buying medicine

CEBU, Philippines - The Licensing Regulation and Enforcement Division of the Department of Health (DOH)-7 is urging the public to always seek the assistance of a pharmacist and to ask for an official receipt each time they buy medicines.

Elizabeth Tabasa, head of the Licensing Regulation and Enforcement Division of DOH, said the public must be vigilant against fake drugs in the market.

“Never buy medicines from peddlers just found in the street especially those with foreign markings,” Tabasa said.

She also advised the public to buy medicines only at pharmacies or drug stores licensed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

One way to determine if the drugs are authentic is by checking the language used in the information on the label, as well as the color of the medicine. 

“Under the law, the label should be in English. If not, then it must be a counterfeit drug. Usually, counterfeit tablets are not uniform in color so one must always check if the drugs have the same color,” Tabasa said.

Tabasa said their office is conducting spot inspections on pharmacies and drug stores regularly purposely to prevent counterfeit drugs from proliferating.

Under RA 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs, violators may be fined at least P100,000 and up to P500,000 and may even be imprisoned from six months to 10 years.

The government observes the National Consciousness Week Against Counterfeit Medicine every third week of November. —(FREEMAN)