Policemen confiscated P102,577,500 worth of counterfeit anti-cancer medicines being sold by four individuals they arrested inside a posh hotel in Makati City on Friday, April 10.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) identified the suspects as “Lucia,” “Maria,” “Dina,” and “Usman.”
The operation was conducted by the CIDG Anti-Fraud and Commercial Crimes Unit (AFCCU) in coordination with the Southern Police District (SPD).
During the operation, the suspects failed to present a certificate or authorization from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allowing them to sell the drugs.
Confiscated from them were 400 vials of the alleged counterfeit medicines.
The CIDG said the operation stemmed from a complaint by representatives of a Singapore-based drug company that its anti-cancer medicine Keytruda (pembrolizumab) 100 mg/4 mL was being counterfeited in the Philippines and sold on the black market for only P7,500 per vial.
The prevailing retail price for the bona fide or authentic drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab) 100 mg/4 mL typically ranges from P135,000 to P200,000 per vial at major pharmacies.
“The authorized representatives from the drug company found that the confiscated 400 vials of Keytruda are all fake and counterfeited,” it said.
CIDG Director Maj. Gen. Robert A. Morico II stated that pursuant to Republic Act No. 9711, the manufacture, importation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, or transfer of health products, including the anti-cancer medicines, without the required registration and authorization from the FDA is strictly prohibited.
“The circulation of counterfeit or unregistered anti-cancer drugs constitutes a serious violation of food and drug safety regulations and poses grave risks to public health, particularly to patients relying on life-saving medications,” CIDG said.
“Since these products have not undergone the FDA’s evaluation and approval process, their quality, safety, and efficacy cannot be assured,” it added.
The director emphasized that selling fake drugs is not just a “simple crime,” it’s a direct threat to human life.
He said that using these products means cancer patients lose vital time on a treatment that cannot stop their disease.
The CIDG strongly warned the public that counterfeit medicines are not only illegal but pose serious, life-threatening risks, especially to patients undergoing critical treatments such as cancer therapy.
It strictly warned them against buying medication from unauthorized online platforms or individuals, saying counterfeiters often use hotel rooms or unregulated online marketplaces to facilitate illegal trade.
“The CIDG assures the public that it is steadfast in enforcing all the laws to protect all consumers and unforgiving to all violators. It calls on the public and consumers to check labels and verify the registration status of any health product via the FDA Verification Portal before any purchase; and report to CIDG all suspicious and illegal trading in their localities, and the CIDG will do the rest,” it stated. (Richielyn Canlas)
