2023-12-04 14:17:29
“Lebanon Debate”
During the past week, health sector officials revealed that there was suspicion of “adulterated” versions of the drug “Ozembic,” after 11 people suffered bouts of dangerously low blood sugar.
However, the head of the Pharmacy Department at the Ministry of Health, Colette Raidi, told Lebanon Debate that “the counterfeit copy of the drug Ozambik entered Lebanon illegally, and that the Ministry warned of this matter and published warnings on its official website, in addition, Until it began withdrawing and preventing the circulation of certain preparations of this drug from the market.”
She stressed that “when the Ministry was informed by the General Secretariat of Interpol that this counterfeit drug was widespread in the Middle East, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Turkey, and Lebanon, in addition to several countries, it immediately withdrew this drug from the markets and banned its circulation.”
She pointed out that “the Ministry informed all concerned, especially the Pharmacists Syndicate and the Importers Syndicate, and asked them to be careful if this medicine was offered to them illegally.”
She added, “In follow-up to the Interpol book, the ministry circulated 4 decisions, to explain to patients the differences between the adulterated and non-adulterated versions.”
She pointed out that “the only thing that protects the citizen today is that he does not buy medicines except through legitimate means, that is, through a licensed importer.”
She continued, “The Ministry contacted all concerned parties, especially the Internal Security Forces and the Information Division, in addition to everyone who displays ads about Uzbeks on social media sites, and they were referred to the competent judiciary.”
She revealed, “A department in the Ministry of Health called Pharmacovigilance. Every doctor, patient, pharmacist, or doctor who faces any problem can communicate with them directly to tell them about the problem they encountered.”
She confirmed that “in Lebanon to date, there are 11 people who have suffered attacks of dangerously low blood sugar, and one of them was taken to the hospital and was treated, and all of them are in good health today.”
In response to a question, she replied: “The Ministry took the samples and issued a decision banning trading from the market, but there may be illegal quantities hidden, so the Ministry is following the matter seriously.”
Raidy concluded by saying: “Patients must obtain this drug from licensed pharmacies, and they must pay close attention to the batch numbers,” stressing that “there are differences between the counterfeit and the original, in shape, color, etc. However, in the case of the patient, he obtained it from a licensed pharmacy that does not “It could be fraudulent.”
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