Eight pharmaceutical firms have sent a petition to the Central Steering Committee for Anti-corruption denouncing the Director of the Ministry of Health\'s (MoH) Department of Pharmaceutical Management Truong Quoc Cuong, accusing him of favouring a pharmaceutical company’s import of a highly controversial drug.
Pharmaceutical firms have lodged a petition claiming corrupt behaviour
This is the first denouncement recorded in the country’s health sector.
The pharmaceutical companies complained that Cuong had granted an import license to BV Pharma Joint Venture Company to import pseudoephedrine, a component used in influenza medicine production.
According to the petitioners, Cuong also allegedly violated MoH regulations after the ministry had requested a halt to the registration, import, and production of sabutramine due to the World Health Organisation’s warning over its risks to human health. Cuong continued to grant licenses to import, produce and distribute the products as well as allegedly favouring imported products over locally produced pharmaceuticals.
They pointed out that in an official document issued by Cuong on June 8, 2010, in which he agreed to the import of sabutramine from India, Pakistan, South Korea and Bangladesh.
Challenges
Imexpharm Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company General Director Tran Thi Dao, who represents the petitioning companies, said their denouncement did not stem from a private disagreement with Cuong, but was part of a demand for an overhaul of the medical sector.
“We stand by the contents of our petition, and are willing to provide more supporting evidence to the investigative agency,” Dao confirmed.
MoH Chief Inspector Tran Quang Trung said he was working on the case and would reach a final conclusion once all the evidence had been collected.
