DPH proposes to ban sale of foreign drugs

The Department of Public Health and the local Medical Profession Licensing Board have proposed to ban the importation and sale of foreign pharmaceuticals in the Northern Marianas amid potential health threats to the community that may consequently jeopardize the agency’s dwindling resources.

In a news conference yesterday, Villagomez told reporters the proposed new regulation has already been published in the Commonwealth Registry. They are just awaiting public comments before it becomes fully implemented.

“Sales of foreign drugs in the CNMI will no longer be allowed. However, those drugs that have been approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration as over-the-counter drugs may still be sold by general retailers without employing a US-licensed pharmacist and without requiring a prescription prior to distribution or sale,” Villagomez said.

Under the proposed new “Rules and Regulations Governing the Importation, Storage, Sales and Distribution of Drug and Pharmaceutical Products”, appropriate labels explaining the foreign drugs’ purpose, usage and precautions must be written in one of the three official languages in the Northern Marianas namely: Chamorro, Carolinian and English.

Villagomez explained many imported pharmaceuticals or drugs that cannot be bought without a medical prescription have labels written in the official language of their point of origin.

For example, imported drugs from China have labels written in Chinese.

Villagomez said people taking foreign antibiotics have the potential to develop a resistant-strain bacteria which is more difficult to treat. Thus, a person with this type of bacteria has to be treated with more expensive drugs.

“We need to control that because this will cause us a lot of potential medical problems. It will also cost us a lot of money,” the health chief said.

Celeste Andersen, legal counsel for DPH, said retailers must also be warned that selling pharmaceuticals without prescription is a criminal offense under both federal and local laws.

Some retail stores are allegedly selling prescription drugs that are also considered controlled substances like valium and codeine.

“There are very serious penalties, both federal and local, for dealing in controlled substances so we want to make sure that retailers are aware that they could get into a lot of trouble if they continue to sell those substances illegally,” Andersen said.

“For example, Valium and Codeine have been available here over-the-counter for quite sometime. They are very dangerous. They are (highly) addictive drugs and must not be sold without a prescription,” she added.

Villagomez said people can only be allowed to bring in prescription drugs for their personal-use. However, customs authorities will require its user to present a prescription with his/her name on it. And provided, the amount of drugs brought in is good for just 90 days consumption.

Andersen said under the law, authorities have the right to confiscate prescription drugs if the user fails to show documents it’s just for personal use and very necessary.

“We’re not doing anything new. The FDA does apply to the CNMI and these controls have been in place all along. The enforcement has been the main issue,” she said.