Uzbekistan: Fake Drugs are Prevalent in Central Asian State

Counterfeit drugs are widely on sale in Uzbek pharmacies, a consumer protection body warned. The Federation of Societies of Consumer Protection in Uzbekistan says a survey of 1,214 pharmacies across the country revealed that 35 percent stocked and sold counterfeit drugs, and more than 50 percent sold medicines boxed without instructions.

According to the survey, the problem was most serious in the cities of Ferghana and Navoi. Researchers found that pharmacies in Tashkent, the capital, were least affected.

Medicines were most likely to be sold without instructions in Bukhara, but the survey noted that it appears to be a common practice countrywide, newspaper Pravda Vostoka reported February 13.

In addition to confirming the sale of fake drugs, the survey also discovered 122 unlicensed medicines for sale in Uzbekistan.