Illegal Viagra poses 'major health hazard'

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A senior manager at pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has warned that dangerous counterfeit tablets of anti-impotence drug Viagra are being sold by registered UAE pharmacies.

Dr. Ahmed El Hakim, the senior manager for the company's Middle East Arab Group (MEAG), told Arabian Business that Pfizer was working closely with the government to try to stop the illegal sales.

"When you have the counterfeits taking place in the legitimate channels of distribution, it's very hard to stop, and that's what happens in many Middle East markets, including the UAE," said Dr El Hakim, who is also director of External Affairs & Policy at Pfizer. "This crime takes place at the pharmacy, and unfortunately this is one of the elements that we are finding it very difficult to fight."

Since Viagra first went on sale nine years ago, more than 27 million men in 120 countries have been prescribed it for impotence caused by age and illness. Now, it is one of the most counterfeited drugs in the world.

"Viagra is a famous brand that is very attractive to counterfeiters for obvious reasons, but this doesn't mean that we should stop fighting," continued Dr El Hakim. "The UAE is one of the most cooperative nations in the region in helping to stop the problem of counterfeiting.

"The problem with counterfeiting is that it doesn't just put less of the active ingredients in, but in some cases there is harmful material introduced to the pill, and that becomes a major health hazard," he added. "The government is convinced that it should fight counterfeiting for that reason."

According to a recent European Commission report, the leading source for counterfeit drugs entering the European Union (EU) is India. It is estimated that 30% of fakes originate in the country, followed by the UAE - a key location due to the major port in Dubai - and China. Combined, these three countries account for 80% of counterfeit drugs in the EU.

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