Pharmacy Council pleased with inspection results

Sat, Mar 3rd 2012, 08:00 AM

The Bahamas Pharmacy Council (BPC) said yesterday that based on its inspections, all authorized wholesalers and pharmacies are operating in line with international standards, but the council urged consumers to remain on alert.
BPC consults with the Ministry of Health and is the investigating and regulatory body for pharmacy practice in The Bahamas.
BPC Chairman Philip Gray said the council learnt recently that the government had received claims that gray market pharmaceuticals and possible counterfeit medication may have entered The Bahamas.
However, the council said it is unaware of any counterfeit medication surfacing in The Bahamas at this time.
"Our inspections of facilties are carried out under the same prescribed guidelines," said Gray during a press conference at BPC headquarters on Delancy Street.
"We cannot, however, underestimate the global problem of counterfeit medications and the possibility that even under best security measures, the possibility of products slipping through the seams."
Gray encouraged members of the public to remain vigilant. He said they should not underestimate the possibility of counterfeit drugs being circulated in unlicensed stores or on the street.
"We feel both the government and the council [must] protect the Bahamian consumer," he said.
"Once we would have heard of any such matter we need to move swiftly on it to see if there is anything that needs to be eradicated and...if any product needs to be moved off the market."
He added, "We need to be vigilant and make sure that there is nothing adverse happening in The Bahamas and certainly make sure we keep in tact the good name of the industry."
Shelly Collymore, council registrar with responsibility for data collection on all stakeholders and entities, insisted that customers review the pharmacists' licenses, which should be on display, when purchasing pharmaceutical products.
"If you go into a pharmacy or an operation that claims to be a pharmacy and it doesn't have those documents then you should be concerned," Collymore said.
"Every one of them should have a copy of a license that should be clearly...displayed in the pharmacy in which they are practicing. If that information is not available members of the public are invited to report that to the council...by coming into the office, phoning or sending a letter [to] the office."
There are around 75 pharmacies that are currently licensed with BPC.
Sixty-five are in New Providence and the balance in the Family Islands. Additionally, there are 187 pharmacists registered with the council and approximately 100 technicians.

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