Fake cancer drugs reappear in Vietnamese market

Fake drugs for cancer, diabetes, blood pressure, stomach pain, and eye drops are now on sale in the Vietnamese market, causing unpredictable dangers to patients, warned the Drug Administration of Vietnam.

The warning was issued after police in Hanoi's Thach That district discovered batches of fake drugs or those suspected of being fake with unknown origin.

"Counterfeit drugs pose unpredictable dangers. They do not provide efficient treatment and can make problems worse. Patients can miss the golden time to treat their illnesses, which can be life-threatening," said the agency.

The administration urged dealers and patients to learn how to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit drugs, and report any cases of fake drugs.

"Competent forces must enhance coordination to inspect the market and trace the origins of counterfeit products," it said.

In 2022, the Hanoi People's Court handed down sentences to defendants in a shocking counterfeit drug trading case at the Vietnam Pharma Joint Stock Company (VN Pharma).

According to the court, from 2008-2010, Le Xuan Khang, a Vietnamese citizen of Canadian nationality, along with Nguyen Minh Hung, board chairman and general director of VN Pharma, forged documents on drugs labeled Health 2000 Canada, and hired two companies to apply for registration numbers.

Because of "lack of responsibility or personal motives", some officials at the Ministry of Health's Drug Administration of Vietnam committed violations during the approval and appraisal process.

As a result, seven counterfeit medicines labeled Health 2000 Canada were granted registration numbers, while many new drugs have been traded and imported via fake contracts, annexes and invoices.

As many as 838,100 boxes of drugs had their price raised from more than $1.2 million when imported to more than $2.5 million. Of which, more than 600,000 boxes of counterfeit drugs were sold by VN Pharma to businesses, hospitals and pharmacies, illicitly earning the firm more than VND31.5 billion ($1.36 million).

In the case, Khang reached agreements to sell six counterfeit medicines labeled Health 2000 Canada to five domestic enterprises through 36 contracts. The total amount was nearly 1.6 million boxes, worth $4.6 million. Khang remains on the run.

Nguyen Minh Hung received an additional 18 years in prison for the crime of "trading in counterfeit goods as medical drugs". Combined with a 17-year prison sentence in the counterfeit drug case of VN Pharma phase 1, the defendant must serve 30 years in prison, the highest duration for a fixed-term penalty.