Poll: Should the Medicines and Related Substances Act be scrapped?

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  1. #1
    Site Caretaker Dave A's Avatar
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    If legislation can't be enforced - should it be scrapped?

    Here is a rather disturbing report on illegal medicines flooding the South African market.
    An illegal medicines industry is skyrocketing in South Africa as unregistered products are sold across the counter or on the streets, the Cape Times, which carries Business Report, reported on Tuesday.

    Its website said the sellers claimed many of these products cured diseases such as cancer, tuberculosis and HIV/Aids.

    A source within the health department was quoted as saying this industry had become too large to shut down.

    "The belief is that they can't close down the market because it's too large. So the department is not enforcing the Medicines and Related Substances Control Act," said the source.

    Many of the complementary medicines were believed to be manufactured locally.
    full story on Business Report here
    Now if unenforcable legislation effectively penalises those who abide by the law, would it be better to simply scrap the legislation?

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    just me duncan drennan's Avatar
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    It is quite a scary attitude that the department of health is taking. Imagine what would happen if the police said that crime was too large a problem so they wouldn't do anything about it.

    Unapproved drugs are very dangerous - surely it could be argued that this impedes your right to health?

    There is just no way to justify the attitude that this is too big a problem to enforce. The drugs come from somewhere, so hit at the source. This is a serious problem that requires action.
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