MP Ismail Sukkarieh accused Monday March 19 some pharmaceutical firms of importing expired anesthetics and counterfeit chemotherapy products. He also accused some hospitals of being implicated in the latter by promoting such medicines.

According to MP Sukkarieh, "Customs at the airport have uncovered a deal worth LL1.5 billion [$1 million] two weeks ago. But the issue has not been revealed to the public nor has it been referred to the Public Prosecution”. “Companies implicated have paid LBP 200 million to customs officials after interventions have been made, especially by political parties”, he continued.

Dr. Sukkarieh disclosed that on several occasions, donations of pharmaceutical products used for chemotherapy have been turned down due to the fact that these medications were concocted locally using rudimentary techniques. He also highlighted a second issue related to the continuous infiltration of very often expired medications donated to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs as well as to charity associations.

In response to the above, the Ministry of Health issued Monday evening a statement reproaching to Dr. Sukkarieh having changed the facts. The statement gave also some explanations on the various issues he raised. Concerning the interception of medicines by the Customs at the airport, the statement clarified that: “Within the frame of a medication traffic case, the Customs Department has informed the department of pharmaceutical inspection at the Ministry of Health that a company has sold to a Beirut Hospital the said medications”. According to the statement, the products have been “confiscated” and the case “referred to a prosecutor” in order to “sanction” every party “involved in the crime starting with the hospital that is to pay more than a LBP 150 million fine”. The Ministry of Health has prepared a file in order to terminate the contract with the above mentioned hospital should the investigations prove its implication in the case”.