Claims that Government through the Ministry of Health and Medical Services does not have a registry and no monitoring process of what pharmacists import into the country or sell over the counter is misleading.

This is after media reports claim that Pseudoephedrine is readily available in pharmacies around the country even without a prescription.

The Ministry wishes to state that Pseudoephedrine is controlled in Fiji having been moved from an Over-the-Counter medicine to Prescription medicine since the Medicinal Products [Classification Scheme] Regulations 2021 was published, and all pharmacies are required to keep a register of their pseudoephedrine sales.

Pseudoephedrine is also a permit item, requiring a permit issued by the Fiji Medicines Regulatory Authority (Fiji MRA) for every consignment and can only be imported by licensed importers and wholesalers. In fact a decrease in the number of imports has been noted since the new regulation was published as pharmacists and wholesalers now import alternative products for cold & flu.

Fiji MRA is part of the Fiji Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Services Centre (FPBS) in the Ministry of Health & Medical Services and is responsible for the regulation of medicinal products in Fiji. (More information on Fiji MRA please click on https://www.health.gov.fj/fiji-mra/)

The Ministry wishes to also state that the law only authorises registered pharmacists and licensees of private hospitals to operate pharmacy businesses. Anyone wishing to set up a pharmacy will need to apply and abide by the ownership laws as well as the Fijian Competition & Consumer Commission (FCCC) regulations.

The Ministry carries out routine inspections annually and also responds to complaints by conducting inspections and investigations on pharmacies and wholesale businesses.