HARARE – The Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) has issued a medicine alert after investigations reveal the existence of counterfeit medicine on the market.
According to the State media, the counterfeit cough syrup has flooded the market putting the lives of thousands of people at risk and as part of ongoing investigations by the police, MCAZ was informed that fake cough syrup was being sold in some pharmacies in Harare and Chivhu.
The local pharmaceutical company that manufactures the original syrup confirmed to MCAZ that many details on the product label do not correspond with the genuine manufacturer’s records.
MCAZ has since issued a medicinal product alert, warning member of the public to be wary of the fake product.
Counterfeit medicines may not have the correct active ingredient or may have too much of it increases the risk of overdose. Some may not have any active ingredient at all, hence do not have any curative effect.
In May this year, three men employed by a pharmaceutical company were busted while manufacturing some counterfeit drugs worth half a million Zimbabwean dollars in a back-yard warehouse in prospect heavy industrial area.
The courts ruled that the conduct of the three was illegal and put the lives of the public in danger.
