If measures are not taken, drug gangs will become stronger

News Center

Nurten Saydan, President of the All Pharmacists Employers Union ( TEİS ), commented on the seizure of 5 million boxes of counterfeit medicines in a raid by gendarmerie teams in Ümraniye, Istanbul, saying, "If a realistic drug pricing policy is not implemented and the withdrawal of drugs from the market is not prevented, the counterfeit drug gangs will become even stronger. The reason these criminal organizations are emboldened is because citizens are left helpless."

Saydan emphasized that there will be no counterfeit medicines in our pharmacies, and summarized: "The source of the counterfeit drug problem is clear: Under-the-counter production, smuggling activities, unregulated online sales, and most importantly, inaccurate drug pricing policies. The withdrawal of some vital drugs from the Turkish market by pharmaceutical companies, particularly due to the low euro exchange rate, paves the way for counterfeiters to fill this gap. The unavailability of cancer drugs, organ transplant drugs, and many other drugs used in the treatment of chronic diseases encourages counterfeiters. What truly needs to be combated is the illegal routes and flawed policies that turn a blind eye to the production and circulation of counterfeit drugs."