Duale says crackdown launched on the illegal sale of prescription drugs

Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, in a statement on Tuesday, said the sale or dispensing of prescription medicines without a valid prescription is unlawful and endangers public health.

"Any pharmacy, wholesaler, distributor, or individual found offering or dispensing Sildenafil without a prescription is liable to regulatory and legal sanctions including seizure of products, suspension or revocation of licences, and disciplinary or criminal proceedings,” Duale said.

To strengthen oversight and prevent the misuse of prescribed drugs, the ministry has implemented a mandatory online system for declaring batch and lot numbers for all imported, exported, and locally manufactured health products. 

The system shall take effect on January 1, 2026, and is expected to improve tracking of prescription medicines within the supply chain.

The ministry has also stated that the tracking and authentication standard for health products has been finalised and is awaiting formal adoption after stakeholder consultations.

"Once formalised, this will enhance traceability, accountability, and visibility across the pharmaceutical supply chain," Duale said, adding that enforcement has already been stepped up through targeted inspections of wholesalers, distributors and retail pharmacies, including verification of prescription records. 

The ministry says practitioners found to be non-compliant are routinely referred to the Board's Ethics and Disciplinary Committee (EDC) for regulatory action. 

This ministry’s response comes after Citizen TV aired Blues and Death, a special investigative exposé into the abuse of sexual enhancement drugs, particularly the popular “blue pill”.