Monday August 11, 2008
Better to scrap loose packaging of medicine
IT IS a great move to have hologram readers in pharmacies and the pharmaceutical services division enforcement unit has taken a great step in distributing these readers to all the community pharmacies – “Have hologram readers for clients, pharmacies urged,” (The Star, Aug 9).
My only reservation is that hologram readers will not be sufficient to combat counterfeit medicine as most of the medicine dispensed either from the pharmacy or the clinics are in loose form.
Our recent study on the appropriateness of medication labelling and dispensing found that most loosely packed medicine are not labelled properly and it is really hard to know the actual medicine given to patients.
Furthermore, for all loosely packed medicine, no hologram is attached to the envelopes and the companies which manufacture the medications are unknown.
Medication dispensing in loose form need to be revised and, if possible, medication should be dispensed in its actual standard pack. Loose packaging can contribute to the supply of counterfeit medicine and the use of parallel imports by unscrupulous practitioners.
In order to protect consumers the authorities should scrap loose packaging of medicine.
DR MOHAMED AZMI AHMAD HASSALI,
Discipline of Social and Administrative Pharmacy,
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences,
Universiti Sains Malaysia.
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