BAGUIO CITY – Food and drug regulation personnel were able to discover the illegal operation of five drug stores in the different parts of the region that warranted their subsequent closure to prevent the imposition of stiffer penalties against them.
Saturnina Pandosen, food and drug regulations officer of the Cordillera office of the Department of Health (DOH-CAR), said the discovery of the operation of the illegal drug stores was a product of their consistent monitoring activities and reports from concerned citizens who reported the existence of such illegal establishments in their places.
She disclosed two illegal drug stores were discovered in Mountain Province, two others in Ifugao and one in Baguio City.
“We want the public to provide us with sufficient information on the operation of illegal establishments dispensing counterfeit drugs to our people so that we will be able to conduct the necessary inspection in order to close their operations for the safety of the public,” Pandosen stressed.
On the other hand, she also advised the public to provide their office with the necessary information on drug stores dispensing drugs without the prescription of doctors, saying that such acts of drug store workers is penalized by law whereby the first offense would be a fine of P4,000 for the owner until such time that the establishment will be closed.
Pandosen advised sick people not to self-medicate but instead seek the advise of doctors and secure the necessary prescriptions for their medicines, saying that it would not them harm if they abide by the advise of their doctors who know best for their health.
She claimed there are legitimate drug establishments who continue to dispense prescription drugs even without the necessary advises of doctors that is why it is still best for the public to report such illegal practices of drug stores and pharmacies so that there will be no danger posed to the lives of those taking in the said prescription drugs.
She called on the public to adhere to the advisories to be issued by the agency against banned drugs in order for the health of the people not to be compromised by the consumption of such drugs by the people who want to feel better without seeking medical attention from licensed physicians.
