For the past two nights we've been reporting on a shipment of medicines that's stuck at customs. Tonight, Brodies, who imported the products from a supplier in Turkey, says it is quote, "faced with the sad realization of having to destroy ninety thousand dollars plus of high quality medications…"
The company sent out a super-rare press release today saying it has been using the Turkish supplier for years, and the medications are from reputable companies like Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline and Novartis, to name a few. But the labelling is in Turkish, and the new law states they must be labelled in English or Spanish. Brodies says it is willing to re-label the medicines in English or Spanish, but say the Minister is refusing to allow this.
Brodies says they have made every other effort to get the medicines cleared, but to no avail. Now, the company claims, quote, "over the past weeks, many patients, for whom we order special medications from this same company have contacted us DESPERATE for their medication." The release notes that two of the patients - one of whom was a nine year old needed the medication desperately and got special permission for this release from the government.
Still, as you heard the Director of Health Services say yesterday, the Ministry will not budge, so Brodies seems left with little alternative other than to destroy the medicines. Surely, the company hopes that by going public it can create some public pressure to force government's hand. We'll keep following it.
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