Source: Sex pills worry govt – DailyNews Live
Farayi Machamire 9 June 2017
HARARE – The government has stepped up its campaign to stop the irregular
sale of sex pills and unregistered bedroom performance concoctions in the
country.
The spokesperson of the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ),
Shingai Gwatidzo, told the Daily News yesterday that the government was
worried by the flooding of the black market with these dangerous products.
“The authorities are embarking on aggressive public awareness campaigns to
educate the general public on the harmful effects of buying products such
as sexual performance enhancers from unapproved or unlicensed outlets such
as street stalls, backpack dealers and tuckshops.
“In Zimbabwe, these medicines are desirable only if prescribed by an
authorised or licensed medical practitioner, after consultation to treat
an underlying medical condition.
“As such, when a medical practitioner writes a prescription for the
treatment of such a condition, the patient is advised to source the
medicine from a pharmacy or dispensary which is licensed according to the
Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act (MASCA).
“The majority of the sexual performance enhancers found on the black
market are not known to authorities in terms of their safety, quality and
efficacy profiles, as they have not undergone registration processes.
“Therefore, these sexual performance enhancers are illegal in as far as
the requirements of the MASCA are concerned,” Gwatidzo said.
Zimbabwe has increasingly witnessed the ever rising tide of street vendors
and unscrupulous pharmacies selling unregistered sex tablets and
traditional medicines, which are a hit among many men and women struggling
to satisfy their sex lives.
Although MCAZ launched a blitz against the illegal sale of the sex
performance tablets two years ago, rampant smuggling and corruption in the
country has been blamed for the re-emergence of the booming, but frowned
upon black market trade.
Gwatidzo said MCAZ was working closely with the police and the Zimbabwe
Revenue Authority (Zimra) to try and stop the illegal trade.
MCAZ also said traditional herbs, including those which come from
indigenous sources, as well as those imported as finished products from
other countries, were also becoming a big problem.
“These medicines should be registered for sale in Zimbabwe and as such
should bear Zimbabwean registration details.
“As such, the MCAZ prohibits the use of all unregistered medicines for the
treatment of medical conditions.
“As the authority is responsible for protecting the public and animal
health, people are advised to only source registered products from
authorised and licensed sources such as clinics, hospitals and
pharmacies,’ Gwatidzo told the Daily News.
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