Transparency in pharmaceutical and cosmetic market

(Baothanhhoa.vn) - Recently, violations of trading in fake drugs, cosmetics, fake functional foods, of unknown origin, false advertising... have been continuously detected and handled by authorities. Counterfeit goods, poor quality, quality not as announced, not only seriously affect people's health and economy but also affect security and society, causing loss of trust among the people. These cases pose an urgent need to tighten management, inspection and supervision of the market to protect people's health and ensure transparency and safety in the field of pharmaceuticals, functional foods and cosmetics.

Market management forces inspected drug stores in many localities in the province.

Many cases of counterfeit goods have been discovered continuously.

Through the work of grasping the situation on cyberspace, the Economic Police Department (Provincial Police) discovered that in many localities in the province, there was a group of suspects producing and trading counterfeit medicines and disease prevention drugs, with many extremely sophisticated tricks. Conducting a case, in just a short time of focused investigation, the Economic Police Department collected sufficient documents and evidence, eradicated a large-scale counterfeit drug production line, prosecuted 14 defendants, seized thousands of drug products of all kinds along with machinery, equipment and thousands of bottles of fake modern medicine and bone and joint medicine.

Most recently, in mid-June 2025, Ninh Binh Provincial Police also issued a decision to prosecute and temporarily detain suspect Le Van Hai, owner of the famous TikTok channel "Gia Dinh Hai Sen" in Ninh Binh with millions of followers for trading in counterfeit goods of unknown origin. Accordingly, Le Van Hai also uses Facebook under the name "Hai Sen Vlog", regularly posts promotional videos and has sold many types of cosmetics and functional foods to the national market, such as: deodorant spray, facial cleanser, hair removal cream, delicious syrup...

The reason why counterfeit goods, imitations of famous brands, especially medicines, functional foods and cosmetics easily mix in the market is partly due to the psychology of preferring foreign goods, hand-carried goods of a part of consumers. These items are produced with eye-catching packaging designs that easily attract, creating trust for people...

The series of cases of counterfeit and fake pharmaceutical and cosmetic products discovered nationwide recently not only violate the law but also directly threaten the health and lives of people. This has sounded the alarm bell about the urgent need to strengthen State management of the pharmaceutical, functional food and cosmetic sectors - products directly related to people's health.

Ensuring a healthy market

Currently, the whole province has 4,195 business establishments; including 4 manufacturing companies, 102 distribution companies, 84 medicinal herb retail establishments, 832 pharmacies and 3,173 drugstores. To improve management efficiency, especially to ensure quality, promptly detect, prevent and handle the production and trade of counterfeit goods, especially fake drugs and fake health protection foods in the area, on April 24, 2025, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 5684/UBND-VHXH. Accordingly, the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee requested the Department of Health to preside over and coordinate with relevant departments, branches, units and localities to urgently review and inspect the compliance with the law of drug and health protection food business establishments in the province; for violations, strictly handle them in accordance with the provisions of law.

Authorities inspected a business selling some cosmetic products via e-commerce platforms in Sam Son ward.

The Department of Health closely coordinates with the Provincial Police in investigating and handling cases of counterfeit goods trading. Directs medical facilities in the sector to immediately review and recall, according to their authority, counterfeit drugs and counterfeit health protection foods that have been discovered, promptly preventing and minimizing the harmful effects of using counterfeit drugs and counterfeit health protection foods. At the same time, step up inspection and supervision of compliance with the law on pharmaceuticals and food safety of pharmaceutical and health protection food businesses. Strengthen measures to manage drug wholesale and retail establishments in conjunction with the requirement to connect drug suppliers; only buy and sell drugs that have been granted circulation registration certificates, have invoices, documents, and origins in accordance with regulations, etc.

In addition, the Department of Health has received, copied and sent via the VNPT-iOffice document management software system and transferred to the email box in full and timely manner legal documents on pharmaceuticals and cosmetics to relevant agencies, organizations and individuals. At the same time, it has issued documents guiding, deploying and urging the implementation of new legal documents of the Government and the Ministry of Health such as the Law on Pharmacy, decrees and circulars in the field of pharmaceutical and cosmetic business. The functional sectors have also organized dozens of specialized inspections and examinations of pharmacies, drug stores, pharmaceutical, functional food and cosmetic businesses. The work of propagating the law and providing professional training has been focused on improving the capacity and professional ethics of pharmaceutical officials and monitoring the implementation of the "Good Practice" standard. The hotline to receive reports of violations has also been maintained for timely handling...

Article and photos: Minh Ha

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/minh-bach-thi-truong-kinh-doanh-duoc-my-pham-254241.htm