Food supplements set to come under regulatory framework

All types of food supplements, made in medicinal form, are set to come under the regulatory framework of the drug administration, a high official of DGDA said.
The move come as the authorities have found that many unregistered items have flooded the market due to legal loopholes creating serious health hazards and financial losses to the patients.
The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) has already brought some amendments in the existing drug control ordinance few months ago. It was sent it to the ministry of health and is now in the final approval stage.
Not only are the importers importing and marketing such type of unregistered food supplements but many doctors across the country are also prescribing those taking the advantage of the weakness of the existing laws, the DGDA official said.
According to section 14A of drug control ordinance 2006, doctors are forbidden to prescribe unregistered drugs to their patients.
But the ordinance does not have adequate provisions for the authorities to check and control the items and to keep the doctors away from prescribing those.  
"We have found that a section of importers in connivance with many doctors are marketing unregistered food supplements. So we felt the necessity of bringing those under our control in public interest," Ruhul Amin, a director of DGDA told the FE Tuesday.
"Once the amended ordinance is passed, the importers and marketers of such food supplements will have to prove safety, efficiency and usefulness of their goods before marketing," Mr Amin added.
After a visit to the BSMMU, Dhaka Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) and some other public and private hospitals in the city, this correspondent found that many doctors are prescribing food supplements to their patients along with other medicines.
While responding to a question of FE, a medical officer of orthopedic department of BSMMU preferring anonymity said they prescribe such food supplements as their patients get "positive results."
"We do not know what is in the drug control ordinance. We see that food supplements work better. So we prescribe," he added.
However, a number of victims told the FE that they are helpless to the doctor's decision.
"I have been taking calcium rich food supplement along with other medicines for the last three years. But I am yet to get any significant relief from my knee pain," Kamal Uddin Ahmed, a patient of physical medicine told the FE Monday.   
"Whatever food supplements the doctors prescribe can only be found in the pharmacies located around their chambers. Prices also to be much higher than that of normal medicines," he complained.
Meanwhile, Shohidul Islam Khandaker, a senior medical promotion officer of Biopharma Limited said doctors prescribe such medicine mostly in their own interest.
Centrum, C. Joint, Formula for Joint, Healthy Join, Omega 3, Calcium with Vitamin D, Tricotin (Hair Skin and Nail), Biotin, Joint Matrix, Canberry, Triflex, Fleximen and Beepolin are among over 200 unregistered food supplements that are being prescribed by the doctors.  
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