12punto exposes the drug black market stretching from Turkey to Ukraine: Many drugs on the black market!

Hazal Güven - 12punto.com.tr

A new one has been added to the scandals involving the illegal sale of products via social media that threaten human health.

In the report uncovered by 12punto, it was observed that drugs required by cancer, dialysis, or psychiatric patients are being sold through a channel opened on the Telegram application by an individual of Ukrainian origin.

Many drugs that require red and green prescriptions, which should normally be used under doctor supervision, are being offered to customers through the opened Telegram channel.

When you click on the description section of the channel, it directs you to an Instagram account that is private to those who do not follow it.

The Russian sentence written in the description section of the Instagram account is as follows:

“Convenient storage options from the Turkey warehouse, for ONCOLOGY, DIALYSIS and others.”

CANCER DRUG NOT FOUND IN TURKEY IS AVAILABLE ON TELEGRAM!

In our communication with the unidentified individual of Ukrainian origin who manages the channel, we asked if they had the drug named Reampla, which is required by stage 4 breast cancer patients, in their possession. According to information confirmed by pharmacists, Reampla is currently not in the stocks of pharmaceutical warehouses.

However, the manager of the Telegram channel in question says they have two in stock.

The dialogue established with the seller is as follows:

The intended use of the drug named Reampla is as follows:

“Reampla or Valamor is a new generation cancer drug from the CDK4/6 inhibitor class used to treat patients with hormone receptor-positive, advanced (stage 4) breast cancer. These drugs are used in combination with an aromatase inhibitor (such as letrozole) or an estrogen receptor blocker (such as fulvestrant).”

Its price in pharmaceutical warehouses varies between 24 thousand 406 TL and 41 thousand 474 TL.

Simla Dilara Sezgin, a member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Pharmacists Chamber, checks the stocks of pharmaceutical warehouses and says the following:

“I am looking at the warehouse while I am talking to you right now. Reampla is currently not on the market. Let me put it this way; if you came to me today with your prescription and said, 'I have a prescription, I want to buy it,' I could not provide it to you right now. I would at most insist to the warehouses. I checked both of my warehouses right now and it is not in either of them. This drug is not on the market. Even when it is on the market, this drug is not sold without a prescription. I would not give this drug without a prescription. On the other hand, it is an expensive drug.”

FROM CANCER TO ANTIDEPRESSANTS… WHATEVER YOU LOOK FOR IS THERE!

The variety of drugs on the Telegram channel in question is also noteworthy.

It is known that the drug in the image is used for psychiatric disorders and must be used under doctor supervision. The Russian text written below it also contains the following statements:

“10 mg and 20 mg Cipralex available

Mild to moderate endogenous depression. Panic attacks, panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias. Organic anxiety and depressive disorders.”

Another drug sold in the group is Plavix.

When you translate the Russian text under the post, it is understood that the drug in question is for heart patients:

“Plavix 90 tablets.

Prevention of thrombosis in patients with ischemic heart disease (after myocardial infarction), atherosclerosis of cerebral and peripheral vessels.”

Another one of the drugs sold is from the group used by dialysis patients. It is explained in the drug's prospectus as follows:

“PERFOSE is used to control the phosphorus level in the blood in adult kidney failure patients undergoing hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis treatment.”

When looking at the prospectus of the drug named Emend, it is seen that it is produced for use by cancer patients. This drug is also available on the Telegram channel in question.

“EMEND contains aprepitant as an active ingredient and belongs to a class of drugs called 'neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor antagonists'. There is a specific region in the brain that controls nausea and vomiting. EMEND reduces nausea and vomiting by blocking signals to this region. EMEND is used in combination with other drugs to prevent nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy (cancer treatment) in adults.”

THEY ALSO ANNOUNCED THE PRICE HIKE ON DRUGS IN TURKEY

It was observed that the individual selling the drugs also announced the 23.5 percent price hike on drugs in Turkey on October 24, 2024, in the group. The individual shared the decision published in the Official Gazette in the group and notified that they would increase the prices of the drugs.

IT IS A CRIME ACCORDING TO THE LAW!

The sale of prescription drugs, which must be strictly monitored by both the state and the doctor of the relevant branch, via social media clearly constitutes a crime. Article 24 of the Law No. 6197 on Pharmacists and Pharmacies of the Constitution regarding the subject (Amended: 2/1/2014-6514/36 art.) says the following:

“Wholesale of poisonous and effective substances and drugs cannot be made from pharmacies and pharmacies cannot participate in tenders. The exchange of drugs between pharmacies is not considered wholesale; it is mandatory to notify the drug tracking system in the processes of sale of drugs, return to the pharmaceutical warehouse from which they were purchased or to other warehouses in case of force majeure, exchange between pharmacies, and destruction of those that have expired or deteriorated. Drugs cannot be sold on the internet or any other electronic environment. No website can be opened on behalf of pharmacy pharmacists and pharmacies. Pharmacists cannot cooperate openly or secretly with institutions, physicians, other health institutions and organizations, or third parties in any way to have prescriptions sent to them, cannot employ intermediaries, courier staff, and similar directing personnel, cannot collect or direct prescriptions, and cannot accept prescriptions coming through these ways. In case of detection of these acts, an administrative fine of five thousand Turkish Liras to fifty thousand Turkish Liras is imposed on the pharmacist and the intermediary person or organization. In case of repetition of the acts, the administrative fine to be imposed is applied as twice the previously imposed fine.”

Simla Dilara Sezgin, a member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Pharmacists Chamber, whose opinions we received on the subject, also underlines that this is a crime.

Sezgin said the following:

“You can sell vitamin or mineral supplements outside the pharmacy in Turkey because there are those approved by the Ministry of Agriculture. We are against even this. However, the products in this incident are directly in the drug group. They can never be sold outside the pharmacy. This is a legal crime.”

‘WE ARE RECEIVING OTHER REPORTS TOO’

Simla Dilara Sezgin, a member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Pharmacists Chamber, says that they are receiving similar reports for other drugs as well. Sezgin explains it as follows:

“There is another drug used in breast cancer. Its name is Femera. I have 3 patients and all 3 are going from pharmacy to pharmacy. We are constantly requesting from the warehouses. For example, we heard that this Femera is also sold in other channels like Reampla. So, the fact that they find in quantities of ten or five what I cannot find does not seem reliable to us. I would suspect counterfeit drugs there.”