Mauritian official warns of counterfeit medicine dangers

Speaking Wednesday at a seminar titled "Campaign Against Counterfeit Medicines," Mauritian Health and Quality of Life Minister Lormus Bundhoo "cautioned against the dangers posed by counterfeit drugs and their impact on human life" and "said that the authorities are determined to raise awareness on the dangers of the manufacture of and trade in counterfeit medicines, and the importance of combating counterfeit medicines in Mauritius," PANA/Afriquejet reports. "The minister recalled that Mauritius had set up a National Pharmacovigilance Committee for drug surveillance and drug use in the public and private sectors since December 2011," the news service writes, noting, "So far, there has been no evidence of counterfeit drugs in Mauritius, he stressed." The news service provides some statistics about counterfeit drugs worldwide that were cited by Charges d'Affaires Troy Fitrell of the U.S. Embassy in Port-Louis, who also spoke at the event (8/29).