Philippines Doctor Facing Counterfeit Drug Charges

A doctor in the Philippines is facing charges of expired, smuggled and counterfeit drugs.

Edwin Pinili of the Pinili Clinic in Calumpang village is facing charges from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), according to the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Dominic Cerro, special investigator of the NBI’s Sarangani District Office, told the news source that Pinili is facing a number of charges including a violation of RA 8203, which is the Special Law on Anti-Counterfeit Drugs.

Cerro said that a civilian informed law enforcement officials about the illegal activities allegedly being perpetrated by Pinili, prompting a surveillance investigation, which resulted in the counterfeit drug charges.

Rizalina Quidala, a representative of the BFAD regional office, told the news provider that the drugs being sold by Pinili did not meet the government body's standards.

“The job of the doctor is to prescribe, not dispense medicine. That’s the work of a pharmacist,” Quidala said.

Quidala further explained that there was no pharmacist at the clinic who was responsible for dispensing drugs.