The Government Council, chaired by Aziz Akhannouch, Head of Government, met today to adopt decisive reforms, one of the main points of which is the adoption of the drug and pharmacy code. This legislative revision aims to strengthen the regulation of the pharmaceutical industry, particularly in the context of the sale and promotion of medicines.
During this meeting, two draft laws were examined as a priority. The first concerns the adoption of a decree-law which modifies and completes the drug and pharmacy code. It introduces measures to strengthen control over the marketing of medicines and their distribution, particularly online and at unauthorized points of sale, outside the official pharmacy circuit. The second bill concerns reforms in the field of town planning and subdivisions, as well as legislative adjustments concerning housing groups and subdivisions.
The objective of the modifications to the pharmaceutical code is to put an end to the confusion which currently reigns in the promotion and sale of medicines, in particular those offered on the internet or in unapproved businesses. Indeed, this phenomenon of illegal marketing has created a climate of distrust among professionals in the sector, particularly pharmacists, who have expressed their concerns by filing several complaints with the competent authorities.
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This growing problem led the Presidency of the Public Prosecutor’s Office to intervene by sending directives to the attorneys general of the various courts in the country. These instructions aim to strengthen the fight against the illegal sale of medicines and non-medicinal pharmaceutical products which escape the regulations in force.
In a specific circular, the Attorney General at the Court of Cassation asked the Judicial Police to collaborate closely with the regional services of the Ministry of Health, and, if necessary, with the central authorities, in particular the Directorate of Medicines and pharmacy, in order to identify and eradicate illegal points of sale of medicines. Emphasis is placed on the need to identify these businesses as quickly as possible and take coercive measures against those responsible.
The circular also emphasizes the importance of ensuring rapid and efficient processing of ongoing cases in the courts, with a view to accelerating the resolution of cases of illegal marketing of medicines. It is specified that the seized products should be confiscated and destroyed immediately to avoid any risk of spread. The Attorney General also recommended that prosecutors request sanctions proportional to the seriousness of the facts, by toughening sentences in the event of repeat offenses. In addition, he asked them to appeal judicial decisions deemed too lenient, in order to ensure that the sentences imposed were commensurate with the offense committed.
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