YEREVAN, APRIL 9, NOYAN TAPAN. By unofficial data, the turnover of fake drugs makes 10-12% in Armenia, Director of the Drugs Center of the RA Ministry of Healthcare Emil Gabrielian said at the April 7 press conference. He called the turnover of fake drugs a "serious business", underlining that efficient work should be done to fight it, and serious steps are now being taken in Armenia in this direction. "The checks on expiry dates of drugs are controlled and regulated in the country. A drug is not an ordinary product, the matter concerns human life and health, so we take all the possible measures," he noted. E. Gabrielian underlined the necessity for regular checks at Armenian drugstores without a preliminary warning. It was mentioned that fake drugs are imported into Armenia in a devious way. Those drugs which pass through "control channels" of the Center are subjected to analysis and examination. "We examine the quality, safety, effectiveness of the drug and only after receiving our positive conclusion, a drug can enter Armenian market," E. Gabrielian said. According to him, a new bill on drugs has been submitted to the National Assembly. The bill envisages regulating the whole process of drug turnover. Imported drugs of $60-70 million are sold in Armenia annually. Domestically produced drugs make up 5-7% of the market.

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