Pharmacy Enforcement Division

Date: 22 January 2024 - 9:40am

Introduction

Pharmacy Enforcement plays an important role to ensure that pharmaceuticals, traditional and cosmetics that are available in the market are genuine in terms of registration and notification. It also acts to ensure that the link of supply and marketing, advertising of the products (including the medical services) and its usage are managed and by complying the provisions of existing legislation. This is done via enforcement and prevention activities, control of licensing, monitoring activities and consumer awareness activities to reduce the demands for unsafe or hazardous products.

Objectives

Ensure all sales, supply, possession and advertising of substances, products and cosmetics are in compliance with the legal provisions.

Subdivision

Intelligence and Operation

  • Conduct intelligence based on the information received/gathered
  • Conduct raids on the premises selling/supply/store/manufacture of unregistered products and un-notified cosmetics
  • Conduct raids on the premises selling/supply/store/manufacture of poisons, psychotropic substances, chemicals and controlled medicines operating without a valid licence.
  • Conduct audits on controlled medicines

Licensing

  • Processing licences/permits/authorizations which cover the activity of sale, use, import and export of poisons, dangerous drugs, psychotropic substances, controlled substances and chemical precursors.
  • Conduct inspection on the premises licenced under the acts in force.
  • Co-ordinate and monitor screening and inspection activities on imported products and controlled substances at the entry points.
  • Co-ordinate and monitor licensing and inspection activities at the state level

Legislation

  • Conduct and regulate the activities of legislations involves gazette, amendments, updates the list of poisons and appointment of officers under the acts in force.
  • Process the application for special exemptions to import unregistered products received from government institutions, private sector, institute of higher learning and research laboratories.
  • Monitor the progress of inspection activities which involve pharmaceutical products, poisons and chemicals controlled under the acts in force.
  • Conduct prosecution in the court in line with the acts in force

Advertisement Control

  • Process the applications of products and medical services advertisements
  • Monitor advertisements advertised in the printed and electronic media to ensure compliance to the existing rules and legislations.
  • Conduct investigation on cases involving advertisements of products and medical services
  • Compile and co-ordinate enforcement statistics as well as monitor the activities involving quality and innovation of Enforcement Pharmacy
  • Planning and co-ordinate the activities and training of Enforcement Pharmacy.

Pharmacy Forensic

  • Conduct analysis on the sample of products available in the market, which is suspected of infringing the legal provisions in force.
  • Creating a database of tested samples and information pertaining to enforcement to be used as a reference and research study for pharmacy enforcement activities.
  • Coordinate and Provide technical inputs and pharmaceutical forensics in case investigation process involving a violation of law enforced by digital-related Pharmacy Enforcement Division.
  • Conduct digital forensics and data recovery to enable information to be brought to court.
  • Collect digital information for the purpose of enforcement.
  • Establish networks collaboration among law enforcement agencies in terms of cyber related investigative skills as well as information sharing.
  • Conduct training in the field of digital forensics to MOH officers and pharmacy enforcement officers in particular.
  • Coordinate and monitor research and development (R&D) activities related to pharmacy enforcement.
  • Coordinate and monitor all activities regarding innovation and quality assurance (QA) studies conducted by the State’s Pharmacy Enforcement Branch.

 Pharmacy Enforcement Development Section

  • Monitor and coordinate budget allocation for pharmacy enforcement activities at the headquarters and state level.
  • Monitor and coordinate human resource matters under Pharmacy Enforcement Activities.
  • Monitor and coordinate training matters and competencies for officers under Pharmacy Enforcement Activities.
  • Monitor and coordinate the implementation of Pharmacy Enforcement Activities to achieve quality indicators and objectives as well as set Policies and Action Plans.
  • Monitor and coordinate feedbacks from the headquarters and the states to stakeholders.
  • Monitor the implementation of dialogue sessions and meetings organized by the headquarters.
  • Monitor and coordinate the development of existing / new systems in the Pharmacy Enforcement Division.
  • Monitor the administrative affairs of the Pharmacy Enforcement Division.
 
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