Officials issued a three-month closure of seven private pharmacies in violation of selling unregulated medicine. The Ministry also withdrew the license of another pharmacy and a food supplement import company. The said outlets have been referred to the prosecutor’s office.
The crackdown was part of the Ministry of Health’s campaign to regulate the operations of private pharmacies, and monitor violators, through the efforts of the MOH’s grave violations committee, that led to the shutdown of twelve private pharmacies, including an import company for nutritional supplements. Penalties were issued by the committee members consisting of the MOH and the President of the Pharmaceutical Society. Health sources mentioned that aside from the closure of the seven private pharmacies for repeated violation, the license of a dietary supplement import company was confiscated for selling medicinal drugs. The committee referred all violators to the prosecution, and are now awaiting appropriate disciplinary action.