MUSCAT – The campaign reflects the Drug Safety Centre’s role as the Ministry of Health’s regulatory and supervisory body responsible for ensuring the safety and quality of medical products. It also seeks to transform health awareness into sustainable daily behaviour based on the principle that medical product safety is a shared responsibility.
According to the Ministry, the campaign comes in response to several emerging challenges, most notably the growth of e-commerce and the expansion of unreliable digital platforms selling medical products. It also addresses cases of consumers purchasing low-cost or readily available products without verifying their safety, as well as rising demand for products such as weight-loss supplements, nutritional supplements and stimulants, which has created opportunities for the circulation of counterfeit and substandard products.
The campaign targets various segments of society and the healthcare sector, with a particular focus on people living with chronic diseases, young people and healthcare workers. Educational institutions, media organisations, content creators and medical product distribution outlets are also among the target groups.
As part of the initiative, the Ministry will organise a series of awareness and training programmes, including introductory meetings for Drug Safety Centre staff and focal points in the governorates. An open day for the public will be held on July 2 at City Centre Seeb, with the participation of several health authorities, alongside training workshops for healthcare professionals and medical equipment engineers.
The campaign will also utilise digital platforms and traditional media channels to raise awareness about methods of verifying medical products and to combat misleading advertisements and unscientific recommendations.
The Drug Safety Centre warned that counterfeit medicines, medical devices and healthcare supplies pose a direct threat to patient health and safety. It noted that their risks extend beyond reduced effectiveness or treatment failure and may result in serious health complications due to non-compliance with quality, safety and performance standards.
The Centre added that such products can delay treatment, worsen medical conditions and, in severe cases, lead to death.
The Drug Safety Center emphasised that it operates a strict regulatory system that begins before products enter the market. This includes product registration, verification of manufacturing facilities, review of raw materials, assessment of manufacturing and storage conditions, and comprehensive laboratory testing.
The Center stressed that monitoring medical product safety is a continuous process throughout a product’s lifecycle. It relies on reports from members of the public and healthcare professionals, alongside alerts issued by international regulatory authorities, to take swift action and withdraw any product found to pose a risk.