BOC warned the public on locally-made fake COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.
The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently warned the public on locally-manufactured fake COVID-19 vaccines in the Philippines.
The Bureau of Customs said that locally-made fake COVID-19 vaccines could become a “public health threat” if enterprising syndicates followed through with alleged plans to manufacture them.
In a statement, the Bureau of Customs on Wednesday said that the agency warned the public to be careful when availing of COVID-19 vaccines as fake vaccines may have severe health consequences to users.
Also, the agency added that the composition of such vaccines were not tested and fake COVID-19 vaccines may not be effective thus further exposing users to the dangers of coronavirus disease.
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The agency gave the warning even as the country was expected to receive its supply of the sought-after COVID-19 vaccines from abroad anytime this month, if not this week.
“Early in the year, the Bureau released its initial advisory as the result of an article published by the International Police (INTERPOL). In the article it was identified that syndicates and other underground groups have acknowledged the value that vaccines have and are currently engaged on how to get a piece of the pie through the manufacture and distribution of fake vaccines,” the Bureau of Customs said.
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The Bureau of Customs — in partnership with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Food and Drug Agency (FDA) — had previously discovered makeshift clinics that were suspected to have been used to treat patients with coronavirus disease.
According to the Bureau of Customs, said such clinics may be used as an avenue of distribution for locally-made fake COVID-19 vaccines.
The Bureau of Customs had earlier tightened security at the country’s ports, particularly against the importation of smuggled and fake vaccines and medicines.
You can read the full statement through this link.
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