15 working groups have been established to simultaneously inspect pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, traditional medicine, functional foods, milk and medical equipment.
This move aims to implement the Prime Minister's urgent instructions on tightening management and strictly handling violations related to fake drugs, fake health protection foods and infringements on intellectual property rights. The Ministry of Health requires synchronous, drastic, and uninterrupted implementation of inspection activities, while promoting the coordination role between central and local agencies.
According to the plan, 15 inspection teams under the Departments of the Ministry of Health will directly inspect establishments producing, importing, trading drugs, cosmetics, functional foods and medical equipment. Specifically:
Department of Drug Administration: 5 teams to inspect pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
Department of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Management: 2 teams inspect traditional medicine and medicinal herbs
Food Safety Department: 5 teams check milk and functional foods
Department of Infrastructure and Medical Equipment: 3 medical equipment inspection teams
The Ministry of Health requests the Department of Health of provinces and centrally run cities to advise the Provincial People's Committee to establish inspection teams for the production, trading and trading of pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, traditional medicines, and medical equipment under its management.
The subjects of inspection are enterprises producing, exporting, importing, and business households directly trading in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, functional foods, traditional medicines, and medical equipment.
The inspection content focuses on production, trading, preservation and storage activities: Implementation of laws and regulations on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics at facilities for the production, export, import, and wholesale of drugs, pharmaceutical ingredients and cosmetics;
Implementation of laws and regulations on traditional medicine, medicinal herbs, and traditional medicine at production, export, import, wholesale, retail establishments, and traditional medicine clinics;
Implementation of laws and regulations on food safety at production, export, import establishments, and business households directly trading in food ingredients, milk, and functional foods;
The implementation of laws and regulations on medical equipment at medical equipment production, export, import and trading establishments.
Advertising activities of traditional medicine and functional foods, including checking the participation of scientists and managers of the health sector in advertising activities. Through inspection, rectification, and handling of untrue advertising activities and excessive advertising.
The Ministry of Health requires scientists and managers in the medical sector to commit not to advertise false information, not to exaggerate the use of products without verifying legal documents; and to be responsible before the law if there are violations.
At the same time, the Ministry has increased communication about the harmful effects of fake drugs and foods; mobilized all people to participate in quality control and denounce counterfeit goods through newspapers and social networks. After the peak inspection period, it will summarize, evaluate and continue to promote the prevention and combat of smuggling and trade fraud in the health sector.
