The green paths, known as “trochas” (illegal trails), are a risk because many contraband products fail to comply with sanitary standards when entering through these paths. Some of these goods can put people’s lives at risk.
By La Patilla – Jesus Albino
Oct 30, 2022
In the case of medicines, some could be made by laboratories established in other countries, but there are also counterfeits that could well be placebos or have components that complicate the clinical status of patients, with possibly fatal outcomes.
Venezuelan laboratories with extensive experience and healthcare companies have created work groups and business links to supply the national market while trying to fight smuggling.
Guillermo Belloso, representative of the Cobeca Drugstore Division, assures that “the national pharmaceutical industry has been growing from 10% to 15% per year. Also the laboratories that had left the country are returning to Venezuela.” Mr. Belloso affirms that the national industry can supply the country’s demand.
He assures that they are working to offer better prices, rebates, and packages that are attractive and make sure that pharmacies are supplied with national and legal products.
“We offer volume discounts, we promote products such as vitamins, we motivate pharmacists to fill their shelves with what is made in Venezuela,” said one of the representatives of a medical laboratory.
Luis Vivas, who owns a small pharmacy, says that the Cobeca business meetings allow “those of us who do not belong to large chains to obtain lines of credit to obtain sufficient stock according to demand.”
The work and business groups have encouraged small pharmacies in the country to have ample supplies in advance to cover between 90 days and 120 days, and thus gradually reducing the purchase of medicines not produced in the country, all of which is intended to combat smuggling.
According to projections, the Venezuelan pharmaceutical industry is expected to grow between 20% and 30% in 2023.
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