CIRCULATION OF ILLEGAL MEDICINES GETS MORE ALARMING

Each year, circulated illegal Jamu herbal in Indonesia was estimated to be worth Rp.2 trillions; it made national jamu industry hard to develop. Beside illegal jamu, the development of jamu industry was also hindrance by imported herbal products especially those marketed by Multi Level Marketing. Tragically the MLM system also aim their sales at non MLM members.

Head of BPOM Roy A. Saparingga stated in Jakarta on Thursday [27/11] legal traditional medicines were selling well among the low class people. Roy stated that supplement drugs and pain killers were prima donna products. They were pain relievers, rheumatic medicines, potassium. Rejuvenators and muscle pain. Those medicines consisted of chemicals which must not be carelessly consumed as the risk was high. “Circulation of illegal drugs are really alarming”

BPOM observation unveiled that in all of Indonesia from November 2013 to August 2014 the detected 51 traditional drugs, 42 of them were illegal. By Post Market Alert System 62 traditional drugs were detected to contain unsafe elements. Roy said that in cracking on illegal products he involved law enforcers to act on products without permit.

Roy also reported that BPOM had cancelled permit for traditional medicines as they contained dangerous elements. They were: Jamu Rematon Two Wings Bird brand, as it contained Fenilbutason, Keio Kiet Bang Eng San containing Sulfametokazol, Raga Prima Umbrella brand powder containing Dekasmetason  and Herbal Plus capsule containing Sildenafil Sitrat and Tadafil. Furthermore, Herbal Man Powder containing Sildenafil Sitrat, Antoyo Golden Key, Internal Medicines containing Paracetamol, Dekametason and Fenilbutason, Diabetes Capsules 919 containing Glibenkamid and Uri Cacida containing Antalgin.

In case of products circulated with fictitious permit, BPOM collaborated with the Police to crackdown on them as they were criminal cases. About the easy way o obtain fictitious permit, Roy did nor deny that such was easy to do. Roy pled the public to make use of other communication channel to inquire or report suisoected cases. BPOM had released warning for the public based on information from other countries by Post Market Alert System.

Effort by BPOM to eradicate illegal jamu products and illegal products had been well responded by MIAP. With support of the Police and Tax Dept. BPOM hads launched STROM V operations from June to August 2014, by recommendation of IBCP Interpol.

Chairman of MIAP, Wydyaretna Buenastuti rated BPOM effort as sound measure and commitment of stakeholders to crackdown on fake products to the root. BPOM operations nationwide was exercised through 31 POM workshops and had succeeded to detect illegal drugs containing dangerous chemicals worth Rp.31,66 billion broken down as : 173 items of illegal medicines, 1,520 illegal medicines with chemical contents and 1,963 illegal cosmetics. (SS) 

Business News - December 3, 2014