Cover Story by manufacturers locally which create opportunities for importation of cheaper replacements which end up being counterfeits in many instances as ;
“ Unscrupulous traders bring in counterfeit drugs to fill the gap that is created by agents of multinationals who keep on altering the demand and supply of pharmaceuticals ,” explained Dr . Toroitich .
The PPB is considering other strategies to put pressure on retail price of drugs downwards . Introduction of a price control which is intended to achieve uniformity on pricing across the country is one of these options . This must be timely and a reason to smile for many would be beneficiaries coming at a time when many Kenyans are seeking specialised care abroad .
If adopted this will contribute to taming the surging number of Kenyans flying to foreign facilities in such of better treatment .
Government data shows that Kenya loses over Sh10 billion in annual revenues spent in foreign countries especially India for treatment that can be availed locally .
Quality Assurance and Post-market surveillance of parallel imported products
Distribution and supply of pharmaceutical products are governed by international rules ; there are obligations that are expected of the manufacturer of the drug as well as the distributor .
This is an inherent mechanism to ensure that the quality of the drug is maintained including during use .
There are circumstances when the drug does not work as intended and indeed in some cases the drug can cause untoward effects . In this case , there must be a mechanism to accurately tell exactly which product and batch details was involved to aid in investigation .
This poses a unique challenge in the case of parallel imported products where the representative of the manufacturer in the market is not involved in importation
PPB Headquarters , Lenana Rd , Nairobi .
and sale of the ‘ suspect ’ product .
To resolve this , the PPB proposes that in such cases , for purposes of traceability , the parallel importer must be held responsible for keeping track of the product it supplied the market , in order to assure full traceability up to the end user .
Dr . Toroitich said that they areprocess-reengineering at the PPB which he says is making their work easier and efficient .
He was quick to highlight the new SMS service recently rolled out by the PPB implemented through the health safety USSD code - 21031 , which the public can ascertain whether the pharmacy outlet they are dealing with is registered by the PPB .
“ This will ensure that Kenyans get an assurance that the product they are getting whether through the normal channels or parallel import are of acceptable quality ,” said Dr . Toroitich .
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