President says she got fake medicine

President says she got fake medicine

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Megawati Soekarnoputri disclosed here on Monday that
she was once given fake medicine by presidential doctors, an
incident that draws attention to the widespread distribution of
such medicine within the country.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a national pharmacists
meeting, the President said she had been informed by her friend,
a medical doctor, about the fake medicine.

"My friend said that the medicine was fake. Imagine, if such
contraband could enter a very strictly controlled zone such as
here (the presidential office)," Megawati said.

However, she did not mention when the incident took place or
what sickness presidential doctors had prescribed the medicine
for.

Megawati said the incident was a clear example of how
widespread was the distribution of fake medicine to the public.

Megawati also called on relevant agencies to deal with the
issue promptly and thoroughly.

Indonesian Doctors Association (IDI) secretary-general Dodi
Firmanto, however, said the statement need not cause undue
concern, as the President may have been misinformed.

"She is the President, but is still an ordinary person with
regard to medicine. Consequently, she should have simply asked
the authorized agencies to check out the medicine," Dodi told The
Jakarta Post on Monday.

Dodi considered the distribution chain for fake medicine could
easily be traced, especially if it were sent to the President's
office, as there existed certain procedures that all pharmacists
and medicine distributors in the country had to abide by.

"We should not be provoked by such a statement, as it should
be clarified first," said Dodi, adding that the President's
friend did not have the authority to say whether a particular
medicine was fake or not.