The absence of an enabling legislature and a regulatory authority in Fiji poses a high risk of sub standard and counterfeit medicines being imported into the country says the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society.

Pharmacist Waisake Radrodro says the Pharmaceutical retail sector in Fiji often tries to get quality generic medicines but there is no regulation to monitor the importation of these drugs.

His comment comes after the Consumer Council of Fiji launched a report on Prices and Practices: Pharmaceutical Survey 2010 last week.

The survey claims in its report that pharmacies around the country charge high prices for generic drugs, which are cheaper drugs.

However Radrodro says most pharmacies determine the quality of a generic only through post market experience.

“Well in Australia and New Zealand it has a very stringent regularity authority. All the products that come into their country are of accessible quality and the difference between generic and originator is quite easy to make. But in Fiji with the absence of that there could be a possibility that some drugs in the market is of very low quality and we have no way of finding that so the mere choice for a generic and another generic is left out for the medical professionals to make and we have known to have some failure with some generic and that is where the difference is.”

Radrodro says they are having on going consultations on the new Medicine Decree 2010 and changes will be made to address the issue of drug regulation and registration.

Tarana News