On June 4, 2025, HCM City’s Health Inspectorate announced the imposition of fines on 18 drugstores for serious violations, including selling medicines without clear origins, registration, or import permits. 

Funny Pharma in District 1 was found selling medicines with unclear origins, including antibiotics like Cefixim and Augmentin 625. Minh Khang Pharmaceutical’s (District 10) drugstore was forced to destroy 20 medicines with unclear origins.

Truong Thi Bich Lan Pharmacy (No 87 Bui Quang La, Ward 12, Go Vap District) was fined VND35 million for operating without a pharmaceutical practice certificate and buying/selling medicines without a valid pharmaceutical business license.

Minh Khuong Co (3A Tran Khanh Du, Tan Dinh Ward, District 1) faced a VND150 million fine for misleading information, advertising, marketing, consulting, labeling, and usage instructions for food, cosmetics, and non-medicinal products. The information claimed that it could prevent, treat, diagnose, alleviate diseases, or adjust human physiological functions, causing consumers to mistake them for medicines.

Prior to that, in late May, HCMC’s Food Safety Department received complaints about weight loss products promoted by DJ Ngan 98 (Vo Thi Ngoc Ngan) and would conduct inspections to inform consumers.

A public dispute between DJ Ngan 98 and Ngan Collagen (Tran Thi Bich Ngan), a cosmetics brand owner in Can Tho, has drawn significant online attention.

The controversy began when a woman, identified as H., purchased a large quantity of weight loss products allegedly from Ngan 98. H. claimed she had the products tested and found they contained Sibutramine, a banned substance that suppresses appetite and poses health risks. H. posted a video on social media exposing Ngan 98, accusing her of selling unsafe products.

In Hanoi, authorities discovered Duc Anh Pharmacy (No 8 Huynh Thuc Khang, Dong Da) selling fake Nexium 40mg (Esomeprazole) for stomach issues and Diamicron 60mg (Gliclazide) for diabetes. 

Meanwhile, Hanoi’s Drug, Cosmetics, and Food Testing Center found that Theophylline Extended Release 200mg at An An Pharmacy (Ha Dong) did not have registration and Vietnamese labeling, violating labeling regulations.

In 2024, national testing systems sampled over 43,000 medicines, herbs, and cosmetics, and found 228 failing quality checks, including 98 modern medicines. Fake medicines accounted for 0.04-0.06 percent, a small but dangerous share. 

Of 23 suspected fake samples, 11 herbal medicines were mixed with modern drugs like paracetamol and diclofenac, but this was not shown on the label. Common fake active ingredients included cefixim, cefuroxime, mebendazole, salbutamol, and tetracycline – the essential drugs for treating infections, asthma, and parasites.

Severe risks, light penalties

On the sidelines of a meeting with ministries and localities on fake medicines, cosmetics, and supplements in May, Ta Manh Hung, Deputy Director of the Drug Administration (Ministry of Health), noted that lenient penalties had failed to deter illegal medicine sales. For example, a box of fake medicine worth a few hundred thousand VND incurs fines of just several million VND under Decree 117.

Nguyen Khoi Pharmacy in Cu Chi, HCM City, was fined only VND800,000 for selling unverified medicines. Minh Chau Mot Tam Pharmacy in District 6 faced a VND32 million fine for trading 10 types of unverified medicines. The highest fine, VND150 million, was imposed on Minh Khuong Trading Company in District 1 at a recent inspection tour, still considered low given the violation’s severity.

Fake medicines not only reduce treatment effectiveness and endanger lives. Dr Doan Du Manh from the Vietnam Vascular Disease Association, told VietNamNet that fake medicines hide symptoms, making the disease worse without being detected in time.

Many medicines are made manually, mixed with unclear herbs, dyes, or heavy metals, causing long-term liver, kidney, and nerve damage. Fake joint medicines often contain high-dose corticoids, offering quick pain relief but risking severe complications like adrenal insufficiency, hypertension, diabetes, or heart failure. Fake antibiotics Cefixim or Tetracycline can lead to uncontrolled infections, pneumonia, sepsis, or death.

People have expressed serious concern over the discovery of numerous drugs just within a short time.

VietNamNet reader Bui Xuan Dung suggested that pharmacies selling unverified medicines should face police investigation to trace smuggled or fake drug networks, with strict penalties to prevent recurrence. 

Reader Chu Van Huy argued that selling unverified medicines warrants criminal investigation to uncover production and supply chains, emphasizing harsh punishment due to the direct harm to public health. He also recommended that the Drug Administration strengthen supply chain oversight, enforce origin traceability, and require pharmacies to retain invoices. 

Authorities should leverage technology, like QR codes for origin tracing, to enhance transparency.

Phuong Thuy