Health Minister: Fake Tylenol Entered Country Illegally

Today, the media caught up with Minister of Health and Wellness Kevin Bernard at a contract signing ceremony for two new ambulances donated by the Government of Japan. We’ll have that story for you later in the newscast. But Minister Bernard gave an update on the investigation into the fake Tylenol that was being sold in supermarkets, primarily in the Belize, Cayo and Orange Walk districts. When detected, the ministry immediately issued an advisory about the phony medication. The investigation is to reveal how the fake medication made it into the system and obviously did not enter the country legally.

Kevin Bernard, Minister of Health & Wellness

Kevin Bernard

“These things definitely had to have come through the black market, from through illegal means because if you would have brought these in through normal process, these items would have been inspected, would have been picked up at the very inspection process. And if those persons, whoever brought it in, would have registered the Tylenol, we would ensure that we have picked that up. Now remember there are certain over-the-counter drugs that does not require registration; Tylenol being one of them. However, as the Minister of Health and Wellness, we can apply certain sections of the Drug Act and we have already sought legal advice and we are in a process now; in fact, last week, I signed the gazette so that should be appearing in the gazette in the two consecutive period and then we are in the steps to also amend the legislation so that things like these cannot occur again and we hold people responsible and accountable.”

Reporter

“Do you guys have a figure of how many may have entered the country as yet?”

Kevin Bernard

“That is yet to be determined because as I said, we are doing more inspections across the country. I have just returned over the weekend and so I’m going to get a full brief from our director in terms of what were found, what has been dealt with, what has been destroyed and then I will be able to provide a more in-depth update to you all. But I can tell you that our drug inspector teams are out there making sure that these things are being checked and that every stores that provide over-the-counter medications such as the Tylenol, whoever is found with these things will then have to face the necessary actions that the ministry will take thereafter.”