By Doris Obinna
Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) has urged members of the public to buy their medicines and simple household remedies from licensed pharmacies and propriety medicines vendor.
Addressing the press recently in Lagos, Deputy Director, Enforcement (PCN), Stephen Esumobi, stated that the team observed that there was improvement in compliance with some premises that were sealed in the past enforcement activities across the state.
Said he: “However, in spite of the improvements observed, there is still increase of illegal medicine dealers in other areas.
“It is important to note that many pharmaceutical premises in some areas of the state commenced operations without fulfilling the minimum requirements for registration while others failed to renew their licences.”
“Some owners of these premises lack the requisite knowledge to handle the products in their shops. Most times, drugs are exposed to environmental conditions that alter their pharmacological and pharmacokinetic profiles, thus making them unsuitable for human consumption.
“Unfortunately, these products are freely sold to unsuspecting members of the public thus endangering their health.
“A total of 346 premises of pharmacies, patent medicine shops, and illegal medicine shops were visited while about 209 were sealed for various offences as; failure to renew premises license, dispensing ethical products without the supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage and sanitary conditions among others.”