VIAREGGIO. The story of drugs placed on the market irregularly by the Florentine pharmaceutical workshop, based in Varignano, widens. The Nas of Sardinia carried out sweeping seizures in warehouses throughout the island and the Public Prosecutor's Office of Lucca also registered the owners of the company in the register of suspects. The story began when the Medicines Agency, last April, had ordered a ban on the sale of numerous Off medicines: these are "generics" based on very widespread active ingredients: among these, acetylsalicylic acid (the chemical base of 'Aspirin) and paracetamol. In addition to antibiotics in a "non-branded" version and products for those suffering from ulcers and heart patients.
According to the provisions of the law, Off was supposed to withdraw the products from the market within 72 hours of the communication from the ministry. This did not happen and - consequently - the anti-sophistication units of the carabinieri moved. Most of the packages (109) were subjected to precautionary seizure in a warehouse of a distribution company on the outskirts of Cagliari. Other raids by the military took place in Sassari and Oristano. In the meantime other packs, which had already been put on the market, have also been withdrawn from the shelves of some pharmacies.
It must be said that both the distribution houses and the "retail" pharmacies themselves are not in any way involved in the affair and - on the contrary - they immediately put in place the internal mechanisms that prevent drugs not authorized by AIFA from ending up in our homes. All this, of course, to protect public health. Meanwhile, the Public Prosecutor of Lucca has revealed that the top management of the Viareggio company have been investigated. The investigations, conducted by the deputy prosecutor Sergio Garofalo, have concluded and the prosecutor is now evaluating the requests to be made to the judge.
LC Il Tirreno del 06/06/2008 ed. Viareggio p. 3
