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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