Pharmacy Council alerts public of fake drugs in open markets

The Pharmacy Council of Ghana cautioned the public to be wary of fake and expired drugs being sold in the open markets and in buses since they are injurious to health. The Council has subsequently warned members of the public against buying drugs from persons who go about selling assorted drugs in the lorry stations, markets and buses. Mrs Victoria Aryee, Public Affairs Officer of the Pharmacy Council who gave the warning in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said drugs that were sold in polythene bags were not handled properly, and thus exposing them (drugs) to unhygienic conditions. She said drug peddlers who were not registered with any recognized body were often engaged in selling fake drugs to the unsuspecting public. She explained that drugs sold in polythene bags were often open to bad climatic conditions making such drugs lose their efficacy and therefore became harmful for human consumption. Mrs Aryee advised consumers to desist from buying such drugs due to the danger posed, saying it was safer to always buy from registered pharmacies licensed to provide �pharmacare� to the citizenry. She assured the public that the Pharmacy Council of Ghana would soon come out with a strategy to flash out unlicensed and unregistered drug sellers from the market. GNA