Recalling that the online sale of medicines is a practice prohibited by law, the Minister of Health and Social Protection, Amine Tahraouiclarified during his speech in the Chamber of Advisors, Tuesday, December 31, that online drug sales platforms were acting outside the legal framework. Escaping all control, these practices endanger the health of the Moroccansalerted the minister, specifying that it was difficult to determine the extent of these practices.
«Ces online pharmacieswhich range from simple electronic sites to platforms of e-commerce developed, carry out their activities illegally and escape controls,” he pointed out, adding that often these products, purchased online, are counterfeit and do not respect either safety or quality standards, thus exposing the consumers at serious risk.
But to counter this phenomenon, a circular addressed by the president of the public prosecutor’s office to the King’s attorneys general at the Courts of Appeal instructed the general prosecutor’s office to mobilize its services to fight against this practice which is becoming more and more widespread, not only in Morocco, but throughout the world, noted Mr. Tahraoui, recalling in response to the question of Lahcen HaddadIstiqlalian advisor, that 10% of medicines sold in developing countries, including a significant portion sold online, were counterfeit. “Studies have shown that the rate of acquisition of medicines on the Internet continues to increase,” underlined the government official.
Pharmacies are the only entities able to sell a medicine under the law
The Minister of Health and Social Protection thus insisted by declaring that only approved pharmaciesTHE pharmaceutical establishments or the health facilities public and private had the right to sell a medicineindicating that this sector was governed by strict laws which govern the drug sector from manufacturing to distribution. In this vein, Mr. Tahraoui insisted on the draconian nature of the controls to which all of these actors are subject, who are required to respect very specific quality standards and ethical commitments.
Towards a stricter action plan
Reaffirming the importance of countering these illegal practices, Amine Tahraoui underlined the political and legal stakes of the matter. According to him, the Drug and Pharmacy Code (law 17-04), clearly stipulates that the preparation, possession and marketing of medicines are exclusively reserved for community pharmacists duly approved. Referring to Law 16-16 approving the Council of Europe Convention on counterfeiting of medical products and offenses threatening the life public healthMr. Tahraoui called for global mobilization intensifying efforts between judicial and health authorities by strengthening public awareness of the dangers linked toonline purchase of medicines.
