Fake Covid-19 vaccines flood market: Myanmar drug authority

By Admin 19 Aug 2023

DMG Newsroom
19 August 2023, Sittwe

Fake Covid-19 vaccines have inundated the market in Myanmar, according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Some in-person and online clinics are giving fake Covid-19 vaccines illegally imported via Facebook pages, said FDA, which is under the Health Ministry.

According to the FDA, fake Covid-19 vaccines found in the market are labelled as Moderna COVID-19 Bivalent Original and Omicron BA4/BA5 Lot No.AS7185B (Exp: Date 04 July 2023), Lot No. AS7144B (Exp: Date 12 May 2023).

“The WHO [World Health Organisation] has warned that those vaccines are fake. We have taken action against two shops that were selling fake Covid-19 vaccines. However, it is difficult to take action against online shops as we don’t know their locations,” said the FDA, urging people to only take Covid-19 shots from vaccination programmes carried out by the Health Ministry.

“Unregistered Covid-19 vaccines have long flooded the market. Unregistered vaccines are cheaper, but dangerous for people who take shots,” said a doctor who runs a clinic in Yangon’s Tamwe Township.

The FDA said it imposes varying degrees of punishment for pharmacies and pharmaceutical suppliers that sell unregistered medicines. Punishments include suspension or termination of their business licences and jail sentences under the relevant laws.

Illegal businesses have thrived in Myanmar as a consequence of the February 2021 military coup, which has battered the national economy.