GOVT TO TIGHTEN LAW ON CONTROL OF DRUGS

PETALING JAYA, Aug 6 (Bernama) -- The government is mulling the possibility of
merging five pieces of legislation to tighten the law governing the control of
drugs in view of what has been described as the widespread manufacture of food,
drinks and medicinal products laced with poisonous substances.

Health Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the government was looking at merging the
Registration of Pharmacists Act 1951, Poisons Act 1952, Sale of Drugs Act 1952,
Dangerous Drugs Act 1952 and the Medicines (Advertisement and Sales) Act 1956 to
come up with tighter legislation.

He said a tighter law was necessary because the penalties provided for by
existing legislation, for example a fine of RM25,000 or three months' jail or
both and a fine of RM50,000 for companies under the Sale of Drugs Act, were
inadequate.

"The ministry is considering streamlining the provisions in these acts to come
up with heavier penalties to show that such conduct cannot be tolerated at all,"
he told a news conference after a visit to the National Pharmaceutical Control
Bureau, here.

He said a bill on the matter was expected to be tabled in parliament next year.

Liow said seizure of food and pharmaceutical products containing poisonous
substances such as sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil in illegal aphrodisiacs
and sibutramine in weight loss treatment had been on the rise over the past
three years.

Elaborating, he said that in 2007, a total of 4,617 products valued at RM5.7
million were seized. In 2008, the figure rose to 9,679 products valued at
RM13.67 million, and in 2009 it went up to 10,458 products valued at RM6.75
million.

The seizures this year, up to June, involved 6,632 products valued at RM4.54
million, he said.

Liow said he regretted that there were manufacturers applying the Good
Manufacturing Practices (GMP) involved in this pharmaceutical crime.

He said that since 2008, nineteen plants were reported to have undertaken the
manufacture of food and pharmaceutical products laced with poisonous substances.


"Reports showed that many poisonous substances (controlled drugs),
narcotics, chemical substances and bacteria were found in products regarded as
traditional medicine, health food or drinks, and cosmetics.

Liow advised the public to report immediately to the Pharmaceutical Services
Division if they came across products suspected to contain poisonous substances.

They could surf the www.pharmacy.gov.my website or the website of the National
Pharmaceutical Control Bureau at www.bpfk.gov.my for verification of the status
of the products, he said. (US$1=RM3.17)
-- BERNAMA



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