FDA pushes sanctions vs. some ‘products’

THE Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) has strengthened its efforts in running after businesses that are selling beauty products without licenses from the FDA, after over P10 million worth of unregistered beauty and other drug products were found in Mandaue City.

Dr. Nela Charade Puno, FDA director general, said that they received reports from their staff that several beauty products and sexual enhancement drugs have been circulating in Cebu Province, which have no approval from their agency. She said the authorities must look into this.

According to Puno, DFA is focusing on running after establishments that sell illegal beauty products and drugs as these could affect the health of the persons who will take these.

“We are here in Cebu today because the FDA received reports that unscrupulous traders are flooding the local market with unregistered and untested food, drugs and pharmaceutical products. We cannot allow that to happen,” said Puno.

Last year, FDA and the Philippine National Police created FDA-PNP Task Force D-Punch (Destroying Products Unfit for Human Consumption) to monitor drugs that are not registered.

FDA admitted that they are still monitoring establishments in Central Visayas that are making products like glutathione, Vitamin C in powder form, Bio-C, Immuno Factor and mineral tablets, which did not get a permit from the agency.

FDA said that almost half of the number of pharmaceutical in Region 7 did not renew their FDA licenses.

If before violators would only have to pay a fine and would not be jailed, Puno said those who violate the law can now be detained for up to 10 years if it’s proven that they violated Republic Act 9711 or the Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009. In addition, violators will also have to pay a fine of P50,000 to P100,000.

FDA is preparing to file cases against the doctors in Luzon who bought from David Atkinson, the owner of American Compounding Pharmacy Inc. (ACPI) in Barangay Cambaro where the unregistered beauty and other drug products were seized last month. (FMG)  

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