Analysis of the results of pollution of pharmaceutical workers on the problem of falsification of pharmaceutical drugs and their illegal turnover on the pharmaceutical market of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Abstract

The falsification of medicines, as well as the illegal circulation of these drugs in the pharmaceutical market, is a global problem. Despite the considerable efforts of international organizations, the proportion of counterfeit drugs on national pharmaceutical markets ranges from 5 to 7 %. TheRepublicofKazakhstanis not an exception in this respect. Over the past 10 years, the Ministry of Health of theRepublicofKazakhstanhas installed more than 90 facts of selling 40 names of counterfeit drugs in the retail segment of the pharmaceutical market. A key role in implementing activities relatd to the identification and prevention of drug fraud is assigned to pharmaceutical workers. Aim . To work is to analyse the data of the questioning of pharmaceutical workers on the problem of counterfeiting drugs and their illegal turnover in theRepublic ofKazakhstan. Materials and methods. In the context of our future work we had also devised a two part questionnaire. The first part consists of open and shut questions about the factors involved, the second part consists of the interviewed people identity. The survey was conducted in 300 pharmacies in Almaty during the period of 2016-2017. Results. It is established that the overwhelming majority (84.76 %) of respondents are familiar with the concept of «falsified/counterfeit drug» and every fourth expert had experience in detecting counterfeit medicines in pharmacies. Most often, in the opinion of experts, exposed the falsification of antimicrobial and antiviral drugs. The most important in detecting counterfeit drugs experts consider the discrepancy in such a parameter as «Marking on the outer (primary) packaging of the goods». In the rating of factors contributing to illegal trafficking in counterfeit medicines, the most important is «Inefficient organization of control over the quality of pharmaceutical products imported to theRepublic ofKazakhstan by competent state bodies» (119 experts or 39.40 %). More than three-quarters (77.48 %) of experts, upon detection of falsifications, will apply to their immediate supervisor. This corresponds to the requirements of the current regulatory framework. The majority of experts (40,0 % of respondents) believe that the most effective direction of the solution of the problem in question is «Toughening of criminal liability for falsification and illegal sale of counterfeit medicines to theRepublic ofKazakhstan» (121 respondents or 40.06 %). Conclusions . We believe that the most important direction of further studies will be the analysis of the influence of various factors on the effectiveness of the functioning of state mechanisms for monitoring the quality of medicines in circulation. In addition, it is necessary to develop practical recommendations for identifying falsified drugs and preventing their illicit trafficking in the pharmaceutical market of theRepublic ofKazakhstan.