PHARMACY is a serious business, with patients relying on the advice trained staff provide, so when unlicensed "pharmacists" attempt to moonlight as professionals there are significant safety risks.
With that in mind, Kenyan officials swooped on more than 100 bogus stores, putting fraudsters out of business, over the course of a five-day pre-Christmas campaign.
The efforts of the east African nation's Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB), have resulted in the seizure of stock with store owners arrested.
PPB Head of Good Distribution Practices and Ports of Entry, Dr Dominic Kariuki, said suspected government hospital medications were found in one of the pharmacies, with investigators now following the trail of drugs to identify those responsible for the racket.
Charges of possessing government stores, carrying out pharmacist business without a license and carrying out pharmacist business in an unregistered premises, have been laid against those arrested.
Of the 56 cases already heard by local courts, those who have made guilty pleas have been issued fines of between $215 and $1,075.
Kariuki appealed to the public urging them to report "such nameless premises to the Board for immediate action".
He also raised concerns about approved pharmacies being managed by unqualified staff.
The above article was sent to subscribers in Pharmacy Daily's issue from 17 Jan 20
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