HÀ NỘI — Inspectors from the Ministry of Health discovered 244 cases related to the trade and manufacture of unsafe dietary supplements and pharmaceutical products last year.

The statistics were released at the Ministry’s 398 Steering Committee held on Tuesday afternoon in Hà Nội to review last year’s activities of the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and the trade of fake medical products.  

Health inspectors issued fines totalling VNĐ21.7 billion (US$943,000).

Last year, health inspectors found 111 violations out of 137 examined pharmaceutical trading workshops, an increase of 16 per cent against 2015, and fined VNĐ9.2 billion ($400,000), an increase of 57 per cent against 2015.

Meanwhile, health inspectors discovered 133 food safety violation cases. VNĐ12.5 billion ($543,000) was added to the State budget through fines, an increase of 172 per cent against 2015.

Over one tonne of dietary supplements was destroyed due to having unknown origins.  

The ministry’s inspectors co-ordinated with relevant offices to examine medical material stores of individuals and companies and trucks carrying medicine, seizing 45.9 tonnes of unlicensed medical materials of 374 different kinds.

Deputy minister of health, Phạm Lê Tuấn said “now is the peak of shopping for Tết holidays, counterfeit goods, poor-quality products trading is increasing, especially foodstuffs, cosmetics and supplemental foods”.

He asked relevant offices to continue inspections at key areas and across the border. Police, customs and market management officials need close co-ordination in the fight against trade fraud and fake medicine.

The deputy minister also asked mass media to help disseminate information on counterfeit and poor quality goods, and goods of unknown origin, that can have a negative effect on people’s health.

Goods included foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, cosmetics, supplemental food, and banned substances used for food production and poultry breeding. — VNS