A pharmaceutical company was suspended for violating the business of lean substances.

The Drug Administration of the Ministry of Health has decided to suspend Phuong Dong International Pharmaceutical Company Limited and transfer the company to the police for investigation for illegally importing and re-trading a large quantity of Salbutamol, a drug that relaxes the muscles of the respiratory tract, making breathing easier.

An asthma medication containing Salbutamol

In Decision No. 644/QD-QLD, issued on December 4, the Drug Administration of Vietnam suspended drug trading activities, revoked the right to use the certificate of eligibility for drug trading, stopped reviewing and receiving drug registration dossiers and drug import dossiers for Phuong Dong International Pharmaceutical Chemicals Company Limited, with a business registration address at No. 7, Lane 39/1, Phao Dai Lang, Lang Thuong Ward, Dong Da District, Hanoi, due to serious violations of legal regulations in drug ingredient trading activities.

Previously, through post-market inspection, the inspection team of the Drug Administration discovered that Phuong Dong Company seriously violated legal regulations in the business of Salbutamol raw materials for medicine.

Specifically, Phuong Dong International Pharmaceutical Chemical Company Limited imported Salbutamol raw materials with an actual quantity 200kg more than the quantity of raw materials on the import order of raw materials, excipients, and semi-finished drug products approved by the Drug Administration Department.

Not only that, this company also wholesales Salbutamol raw materials to units and individuals without a certificate of eligibility for drug business (scope of drug production or scope of wholesale of drug raw materials).

Due to the above serious violations, the Drug Administration has issued a decision to suspend the drug business of Phuong Dong Company and stop receiving and reviewing drug registration and drug import dossiers of this company indefinitely; revoke the right to use the certificate of eligibility for drug business of Phuong Dong Company issued by the Hanoi Department of Health, within 6 months from the date of signing and issuing this decision.

The Drug Administration of Vietnam has sent an urgent dispatch requesting the Hanoi Department of Health to consider revoking the certificate of eligibility for drug business of Phuong Dong International Pharmaceutical Chemical Company Limited according to its authority and report the implementation results to the Drug Administration of Vietnam before December 15.

The Drug Administration has transferred files and documents related to this case to the Department of Environmental Crime Prevention Police (C49) - Ministry of Public Security for investigation agencies to consider and resolve according to their authority.

Salbutamol, although a medicinal herb, is also a widely used chemical in livestock farming because of its ability to help livestock gain lean mass, and the meat after slaughter has a fresh, eye-catching color. Regular consumption of livestock meat containing Salbutamol in excess of the permitted level will cause consumers to accumulate this chemical, causing symptoms of poisoning, headaches, weak limbs, and rapid heartbeat.

Therefore, Salbutamol has been put under strict dosage control by many countries, including Vietnam, but in reality, many businesses and livestock farmers still secretly buy and use drugs containing this chemical many times over the permitted threshold.

According to Vietnam+