BPOM given more powers
Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The government has resolved the problem of overlapping powers between the Ministry of Health and the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM), with the latter finally being given the power to supervise all foodstuffs and drugs.
A joint ministerial decree signed by Minister of Health Achmad Sujudi and State Minister for Administrative Reform Feisal Tamin says that the BPOM is responsible for controlling and analyzing pharmaceuticals, narcotics, traditional medicines, cosmetics and foodstuffs, as well as issuing licenses for their distribution.
The agency is also authorized to monitor the promotion and advertising of these products, their side effects and information related to the products, including their contents.
The powers to order the withdrawal of products from the market and the destruction of products that violate the law and government regulations are also given to the agency.
The importing and exporting of food and drug products will also need a BPOM recommendation before approval will be issued by the health minister.
"Ministry of Health supervision will be restricted to healthcare facilities and healthcare employees," health minister Achmad Sujudi told a media conference held to announce the joint ministerial decree on Thursday.
The policy came into force on the date of its signing, July 4.
Earlier, the situation regarding the supervision of food and drugs had been confusing. According to Government Regulation No. 72/1998 on pharmaceutical and healthcare equipment, the health ministry was authorized to issue licenses.
But Presidential Decree No. 103/2001 on the status, duties, functions and powers of state institutions other than ministries, stated that these powers were vested in the BPOM.
The confusion has forced companies to register pharmaceutical products with both institutions. The ambiguities have also been blamed for the increasing number of food and pharmaceutical products going on the market using fake licenses.
The House of Representatives health commission had complained about the confusion as it had prompted the spread of illegal drugs.