Pharmacists' Syndicate President Joe Salloum confirmed that there are no counterfeit medications in pharmacies, as these medications are found in "shops," with "street vendors," and on social media platforms. He stated, "We are providing information to the security forces to take action because these medications can lead to patient fatalities." In an interview with "Voice of Lebanon," he emphasized that "the solution lies in providing quality medication through the proper mechanism, entering it legally, and registering it with the Ministry of Health." Salloum encouraged patients to purchase unavailable medications in Lebanon either personally or through relatives from pharmacies abroad, ensuring proper delivery methods.
He announced a triangular collaboration between the Ministry of Health, the Pharmacists' Syndicate, and the World Health Organization aimed at establishing a mechanism for regulating and tracking medications, particularly cancer and difficult-to-treat drugs. The collaboration seeks to implement a sustainable policy to provide all types of medications, especially for chronic illnesses, with plans to secure direct support for patients through a medication card at a later stage.
