5 Key Experts Warn of Risks As Supermarkets Sell Unregulated Pharmacy Products

Pharmacies and consumer watchdogs are demanding urgent government intervention as a growing number of medicinal products appear on supermarket shelves and in corner shops, sparking fears over public safety and “unfair competition.”

While the Mauritius Pharmacy Act explicitly stated that no person shall sell medicine or drugs outside of a pharmacy, a secondary clause allows the Minister of Health to authorise exceptions.

Industry leaders claim this ambiguity has created a “grey area” that retailers are exploiting, often without oversight.

A Law Divided

The current legal framework is facing intense scrutiny for providing contradictory signals. The Pharmaceutical Association of Mauritius (PAM) highlighted that while the core law prohibits external sales, the lack of enforcement is glaring.

“We are tired of telling the Pharmacy Board to take action,” said Ashwin Dookun, President of PAM.

He noted that common medicines like paracetamol are being sold in local boutiques with zero consequences. “The law provides for sanctions, but they simply do not act.”

Safety and the “Label Trap”

The primary concern for health professionals is consumer safety. Arshad Saroar, a local pharmacist, warned that many supplements sold in supermarkets can have dangerous interactions with other medications—risks the average shopper cannot anticipate without professional advice.

To help the public navigate the shelves, experts pointed to a little-known coding system:

• White Labels: Products generally authorised for sale in supermarkets.
• Blue Labels: Medicinal products strictly reserved for pharmacies.

Siddique Khodabocus, president of an association for small pharmaceutical importers, argued that any product claiming therapeutic properties must remain under the supervision of a qualified pharmacist.

“It is not right that products with claimed therapeutic properties are available for consumers to simply pick off a shelf,” he said.

Institutional “Passing the Buck”

A significant hurdle in regulation appears to be a jurisdictional dispute between government bodies.

According to industry sources, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce frequently deflect responsibility to one another regarding inspections and fines.

Jayen Chellum, General Secretary of the Association des Consommateurs de l’île Maurice (ACIM), noted that Commerce Ministry inspectors lack the specialised training of Health Ministry staff to verify pharmaceutical integrity.

He called for a joint task force to ensure traceability and clear “enforcement officers.”

The Rise of Digital Risks

Beyond physical stores, the unregulated sale of “medicated” products on social media is a growing frontline.

An anonymous importer noted that the 1983 Pharmacy Act is struggling to keep pace with the digital age, where misleading health claims are rampant and clinical validation is rarely checked.

Economic Impact

The row is not purely about health; it is also financial. PAM’s Ashwin Dookun denounced what he termed “unfair competition,” explaining that large supermarkets use their massive purchasing power to negotiate prices far lower than independent pharmacies can access, squeezing smaller healthcare providers out of the market.

Both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Commerce were contacted for comment but did not respond to inquiries.

Source: Defi Media