Medics raise alarm over fake Viagra

Nairobi. As the country grapples with counterfeit lifestyle medicines, anti-malarial drugs and antibiotics, health experts have raised the alarm over the existence of fake sexual-enhancement drugs.

Dennis Otieno, the head of crime investigations and enforcement for the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, on Wednesday said the most faked sexual-enhancement drug is Viagra.

Mr Otieno said the first seizure of tablets identified as Vega was in 2015 at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

He said the consignment, valued at Sh4 million, had been wrapped in cartons to prevent detection.

“We arrested the suspects and took them to court, where they faced charges of being in possession of [fake] medicines,” he said.

ORIGIN

In Mombasa, he added, they seized approximately 20 cartons of falsified Enzoy Plus at a Container Freight Station the same year.

The fake medicine, he said, had been packed in cartons in small pallets at the CFS in Mombasa.

“So far, we have encountered the two brands - Vega tablets and Enzoy Plus - in the war against illicit medicine in the country,” he said.

He noted that both the counterfeit Viagra seized at JKIA and in Mombasa originated from China.

But Mr Otieno said since the two seizures in 2015, the agency had not encountered new cases of counterfeit Viagra, crediting multi-agency efforts to crack down on fake medicines.

RISK DEATH

“Through cooperation with the Kenya Revenue Authority, the Mombasa port authorities, the Anti-Counterfeit Agency, the police and other agencies we have been able to address the counterfeit challenges,” he said.

Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of an international workshop on combating counterfeiting and piracy at PrideInn Beach Resort in Mombasa on Wednesday, Mr Otieno warned that the risk of taking counterfeit medicine is death.

“It is dangerous for people to consume [fake] Viagra as it can cause death or the user can be maimed for life,” he warned.