| Buying Cheaper Medicines |
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May 20, 2006 BUYING CHEAPER MEDICINES The Singapore Association of Pharmaceutical Industries (SAPI) is concerned that patients who buy their medicines from Malaysia without a doctor's prescription may put their health at risk. To get the maximum benefit from any treatment regime, patients need to take their medications as advised by their doctors. This ensures that they get the most appropriate treatment with regard to the type of drugs and dosages. Patients should also follow up regularly with their doctors so that the efficacy of their treatment can be monitored and adjustments made quickly if necessary. Sapi takes this opportunity to caution Singaporeans who frequently purchase drugs from other countries about the risk of counterfeit medicines. In 2003, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched a public education drive to stamp out the fast growing problem of sub-standard and counterfeit medicines in six South-east Asian countries. The types of counterfeit reported to WHO included products with no active ingredients (43%); low content of active ingredients (21%); poor quality drugs (24%); wrong ingredients (2%); and wrong source (7%). The regular use of sub-standard or counterfeit medicines can lead to therapeutic failure or drug resistance; in some cases it can lead to death. The only way to be safe is to get them from licensed pharmacies or their doctors, preferably those in Singapore, as the origin of the medicines is assured and the source of drugs can be traced if unexpected complications arise. This will not be the case with Internet purchases or drugs from other countries. Chronic illnesses, for example, heart disease and diabetes, would progress and more advanced complications will develop if the disease is not well controlled by reliable medicines. Jason Humphries
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