Ho Chi Minh City Cracks Down on Healthcare Violations: A Detailed Overview
Ho Chi Minh City authorities have ramped up their efforts to ensure the integrity of its healthcare sector, recently imposing fines totaling nearly VND2.3 billion (approximately US$88,679) following an extensive three-week inspection campaign. This initiative, orchestrated by the Department of Health, aims to combat smuggling, commercial fraud, counterfeit goods, and violations of intellectual property rights within the healthcare industry.
Scope of the Inspection
In this focused campaign, inspectors scrutinized a total of 111 establishments. The diverse range of facilities included 8 cosmetic manufacturers, 63 pharmaceutical companies, 21 outlets selling medical equipment, and 19 medical clinics. The breadth of the inspections underscores the city’s commitment to addressing discrepancies across various segments of the healthcare and pharmaceutical landscape.
Penalties and Findings
As a result of these inspections, around 41 establishments faced penalties, leading to substantial fines amounting to nearly VND2.3 billion. Additionally, inspectors confiscated illicit cosmetic products valued at VND39 million. Notably, the authorities also took decisive action against improperly classified self-declared medical device approvals, revoking 122 decisions and escalating some violations to investigative agencies for further examination.
During a specific segment of the inspections conducted from May 31 to June 6, local health offices investigated 202 healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses. This effort resulted in penalties for 8 of these businesses, which collectively incurred fines totaling VND133.5 million.
Common Violations Detected
The inspections revealed a range of prevalent violations across different sectors:
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Pharmaceutical Sector: Many businesses were found selling drugs without clear origins or valid invoices, lacking required licenses for operations, selling medicines outside their licensed scope, and engaging in transactions with unlicensed establishments.
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Cosmetics Sector: Violations included advertising products without prior approval from the Department of Health, disseminating misleading information that confused cosmetics with drugs, and manufacturing items with formulas inconsistent with their registered declarations.
- Medical Device Sector: Common infractions involved incorrect risk classification of devices and declaring standards without legally compliant documentation. Additionally, many establishments failed to maintain essential circulation and warranty documents, often ignoring their valid certification statuses.
Commitment to Public Health
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health has made it clear that maintaining the quality and safety of healthcare products is a top priority. They view the fight against counterfeit goods, fraud, and substandard products as an essential and ongoing mission. To enhance oversight, the department is poised to increase the frequency of inspections, bolster monitoring efforts, and implement post-market surveillance techniques, including surprise inspections.
Community Engagement
To engage the community in their efforts, the department has launched a hotline (0989401155) and an “Online Health” app. These platforms empower the public to report violations, enabling authorities to act swiftly in intercepting counterfeit and substandard healthcare products. Encouraging prompt reporting is seen as vital to safeguarding public health and ensuring that the healthcare market remains a safe space for all.
While the ongoing efforts reflect proactive measures, the commitment to vigilance and improvement promises an ongoing campaign to secure and elevate healthcare standards throughout Ho Chi Minh City.
