FrenchieGirl
Senior Moderator
Pharmacies Sell Swine Flu Tablets Without Prescription
Staff Reporter
5 May 2009
Print E-mail
DUBAI - UAE pharmacists continued to sell medication for swine flu on Monday despite a Ministry of Health reminder that a prescription was required.
Several pharmacists Khaleej Times spoke to had run out of Tamiflu, one of the medicines recognised as an effective treatment of swine flu, when panic buying began in the country after the outbreak of the virus in Mexico and its spread to several countries.
Ministry of Public Health Affairs director Ali Al Marzouki said pharmacies had been reminded that Tamiflu should be sold only on prescription.
?We have to protect the stocks that we have now and we cannot allow people?s panic to eat through our supplies,? he said, in a Reuters report.
?There is no reason for people to panic, the UAE is safe.?
Health officials said, in a previous Khaleej Times report, there was a stockpile of 4 million units of Tamiflu which was capable of treating 400,000 people. Al Marzouki would not comment to Khaleej Times on Monday. Seven pharmacists this newspaper spoke to said they had not been given a reminder in the form of an official circular.
?Though we do require a prescription, we can give the medicine to you without one because of the current situation,? said one pharmacist, who would not be named. Pharmacies are selling a box of Tamiflu with 10 tablets meant to last five days for around Dh180. The World Health Organisation laboratory figures show 985 people across 20 countries have been infected by swine flu.
Staff Reporter
5 May 2009
Print E-mail
DUBAI - UAE pharmacists continued to sell medication for swine flu on Monday despite a Ministry of Health reminder that a prescription was required.
Several pharmacists Khaleej Times spoke to had run out of Tamiflu, one of the medicines recognised as an effective treatment of swine flu, when panic buying began in the country after the outbreak of the virus in Mexico and its spread to several countries.
Ministry of Public Health Affairs director Ali Al Marzouki said pharmacies had been reminded that Tamiflu should be sold only on prescription.
?We have to protect the stocks that we have now and we cannot allow people?s panic to eat through our supplies,? he said, in a Reuters report.
?There is no reason for people to panic, the UAE is safe.?
Health officials said, in a previous Khaleej Times report, there was a stockpile of 4 million units of Tamiflu which was capable of treating 400,000 people. Al Marzouki would not comment to Khaleej Times on Monday. Seven pharmacists this newspaper spoke to said they had not been given a reminder in the form of an official circular.
?Though we do require a prescription, we can give the medicine to you without one because of the current situation,? said one pharmacist, who would not be named. Pharmacies are selling a box of Tamiflu with 10 tablets meant to last five days for around Dh180. The World Health Organisation laboratory figures show 985 people across 20 countries have been infected by swine flu.