Venezuela coordinates health and police actions against pharmaceutical crime

Venezuelan health and law enforcement authorities are coordinating efforts to combat crimes against public health. The Autonomous Sanitary Control Service (SACS) and the Scientific, Criminal, and Penal Investigation Corps (CICPC) have established a bilateral cooperation channel to strengthen the surveillance and inspection of pharmaceuticals, food, and other human consumption supplies.

A permanent multidisciplinary team will be installed to handle reports regarding the falsification, smuggling, and unauthorized distribution of pharmaceutical specialties. This inter-institutional alliance aims to accelerate expert assessment protocols and immediate legal action when irregularities are detected in commerce or customs.

These measures follow recent alerts regarding the sale of illegal or counterfeit drugs in the country, including a previous sanitary alert for the breast cancer medication Perjeta (pertuzumab). Authorities have urged pharmacies and health centers to purchase medications only from providers authorized by the Ministry of Health.