It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Health and the Customs Department that prescription drugs are being imported into the island, in quantities that exceed personal use. Moreover, on several occasions, these items were neither declared to Customs Officers nor accompanied by prescriptions.
It has also been drawn to the attention of authorities that prescription medications are being dispensed by unauthorized and unlicensed persons and venues.
The Ministry of Health would like to advise the general public of the following:
• Prescription drugs for retail can only be imported legally with the necessary license.
• All imported prescription medication must be declared and accompanied by a doctor’s prescription or signed note.
• Prescribed medication should be appropriately labelled and should be kept in the original containers provided by the pharmacist when you pass through Customs.
The public is also advised that the use of prescription drugs without a doctor’s supervision is not advised. Additionally, in Anguilla these drugs should be acquired from sources that are properly licensed by the Government. Otherwise persons are exposed to a number of potential risks including expired, contaminated or counterfeit products, the wrong or an incorrect dose, or medication unaccompanied by adequate directions for use. If the drugs are not packaged and stored under appropriate conditions they may become altered from their original state and therefore ineffective. Also there is no assurance that these products were manufactured under current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) standards. When persons take such medications, they face risks of suffering adverse reactions, some of which can be life threatening. If the drugs are ineffective, persons may suffer complications from the illnesses that the drugs were intended to treat, without ever knowing the true cause.
If you have any questions regarding the information presented in this press release please feel free to contact the Ministry of Health at 497-3930.
– Press Release
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
