Dr. Magdy Hassan, "Verifying the source is the cornerstone of fighting counterfeit drugs"

Cairo, 20 August 2009- The Holding Company for Pharmaceuticals (HoldiPharma) announced the opening of its first cold chain pharmacy in Bab El Louk for biological products whose ideal storage temperature ranges between 2°C and 8°C from the point of manufacturing to administration.

"This pharmacy, which cost approximately EGP 3 million to 3.5 million, will be the model for Egyptian pharmacies in the coming 20 years," said Dr. Magdy Hassan, Chairman of HoldiPharma and the Pharmaceutical Cosmetics & Appliances' Chamber. "As biologics outnumber ordinary drugs, cold chains will be an integral part of storing and delivering drugs. A second pharmacy is planned to open in Alexandria."

Dr. Khaled El Rouby, Managing Director of Import and Branches at The Egyptian Company for Pharmaceutical Trading, said, "The Egyptian Company is in charge of importing the majority of biologics. It is also an agent for international companies manufacturing essential drugs such as: interferon, targeted cancer therapies, insulin and vaccines." He explained that many of these drugs cannot be manufactured locally, "Manufacturing biologics such as interferon is a complicated process, and moreover production lines are very costly (reaching several billion Euros). To get approval to package interferon, we underwent six months of inspection to ensure there is no leakage during any of the stages."

Dr. El Rouby also highlighted the efforts of the Egyptian Company towards cold chain management. "We increased the number of refrigerating rooms to 20, each equipped with two refrigerating units and a remote data log to monitor the room's temperature and humidity. Moreover, we own a fleet of equipped cars to maintain the cold chain."

"Breaking the cold chain endangers the lives of patients. It will take us almost three years to implement the proper storage standards set by The Ministry of Health," added Dr. Hassan. He also pointed out that the Chamber is focused on tackling counterfeit drugs in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, "Because of the sophistication of the counterfeit drug mafia, it is increasingly difficult to differentiate between original and counterfeit drugs. The issue needs to be tackled at the source - pharmacists should only deal with authorized distributors who in turn represent the manufacturing companies," he concluded.

For further information, please contact Ghada Essokkary on 019 444 9008

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© Press Release 2009