The Ministry of Health and Social Development is asking  businesses that do not possess a trade license to function as a pharmacy to refrain from  importing and selling prescription only medications.

Chief of Drugs and Pharmaceutical Services, Mrs. Gracia Wheatley Smith said that prescription only medicines is defined as medicines that are prescribed by a physician or medicines that are to be used under the supervision of a physician.

Mrs. Wheatley-Smith said that there are concerns that medicines are being sold from businesses that are not pharmacies.

“There are businesses not registered as pharmacies and do not have a pharmacist in their employment that are importing and selling prescribed only medicines.  This is a dangerous practice as individuals who purchase these medicines may experience side effects or adverse drug reactions and would not have had the benefit of patient counseling,” she said.

The Chief of Drugs said one of the dangers in this practice is the development of antimicrobial resistance which could lower the effectiveness of some medicines in the future. She said persons can also experience side effects or severe adverse drug reactions which can result in hospitalization or death.

            The Medical Act of 2000 speaks to the prohibition of sale of drugs by unregistered persons. According to Section 55 (1) the business must be under the immediate personal control, management and supervision of a duly registered pharmacist.

 The Allied Health Practitioners Act Schedule 4 Part 1 identifies a pharmacist as an individual who is registered by the Allied Health Professional Council to dispense medications. 

Section 53 (b) states the penalty for the contravention of this law is a fine not exceeding $1,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding a year, or both, in the case of a first offence.  In the case of the second offense, the penalty is a fine not exceeding $2,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years.

Mrs. Wheatley-Smith cautioned individuals who are not registered by the Allied Health Professional Council to practice in the Virgin Islands as pharmacists, and are selling medication, to refrain from this practice as it is not only illegal and punishable by law, but it is dangerous to consumers.

Individuals are encouraged to take medicine safety seriously and ensure that the person who is dispensing their medication is a registered pharmacist, and not just an employee working in the business.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development is committed to enabling effective use and management of medicines.