The Ministry of Health has closed pharmacies in two northern emirates for breaches of medical ethics in selling abortion drugs and other controlled medications.
Dr Amin Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for public health policy, said one pharmacy was found to be involved in many illegal practices after inspectors made a visit with police.
Offences included the absence of a licensed pharmacist or assistant pharmacist during working hours, an unlicensed person dispensing drugs, sale of Cytotec, an abortion drug allowed only in hospitals, and sexual-enhancement drugs that contained Sildenafil, which is unregistered with the ministry and could be fake.
The pharmacy owner, the pharmacist and the person dispensing drugs were all referred to public prosecution for breaching pharmaceutical regulations, Dr Al Amiri said.
Inspectors found illegal activities at another pharmacy, including the presence of false prescriptions, frequent dispensing of controlled drugs to the same patient at short intervals, a presence of unregistered restricted drugs and the presence of medical items from Syria and Germany, Dr Al Amiri said.
The owner and pharmacist were referred to public prosecution for contributing to patient addiction to controlled drugs.
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