DistantNews
🇹🇳 Tunisia /Health & Science

Tunisian Pharmacists Demand Strict Control Over Dietary Supplements

From La Presse · (43m ago) French Critical tone

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Tunisia's pharmacists are calling for stricter regulation of dietary supplements, urging the parliament to revise a draft law.
  • They want the law to prioritize public health under the Ministry of Health's direct supervision, rather than a commercial focus.
  • The union highlights dangers from the informal market, including undeclared substances causing serious health issues, and proposes extending regulations to animal supplements.

The Tunisian Union of Pharmacists (STPO) has taken a firm stance, demanding that the Assembly of People's Representatives revise the proposed law on dietary supplements. Pharmacists are concerned that the current draft leans too heavily towards commercial interests, potentially compromising public health. Their primary objective is to ensure that this legislation firmly places the sector under the direct authority of the Ministry of Health, safeguarding citizens from potentially harmful products.

We demand that this text be renamed 'Law relating to the organization of the manufacture and distribution of dietary supplements' to guarantee state intervention at every stage of production.

— Mohamed Salah KedachiExplaining the union's demand for stricter legislative control over dietary supplements.

STPO's Secretary-General, Mohamed Salah Kedachi, articulated the union's vision during a parliamentary hearing. He stressed the need to reclassify these products, distinguishing clearly between nutritional supplements and those making therapeutic claims. The union insists that supplements with therapeutic indications must be distributed exclusively through regulated channels, overseen by pharmacists. This stringent oversight is crucial for effective pharmacovigilance, allowing for rigorous monitoring of any adverse effects.

The union has sounded the alarm about the current chaotic market, characterized by artisanal production and online sales of substances with unknown origins. Kedachi revealed that the informal market has led to severe health incidents, including fatalities, due to undeclared ingredients like corticosteroids found in weight-gain or diet products. This situation underscores the urgent need for robust regulatory control to protect public health.

We sounded the alarm about the current anarchy, marked by artisanal manufacturing and online sales of substances of unknown origin.

— Mohamed Salah KedachiHighlighting the dangers posed by the unregulated market for dietary supplements.

Furthermore, STPO advocates for extending the law's scope to include dietary supplements for animals. This forward-thinking proposal aligns with the global 'One Health' approach, recognizing that the quality of animal feed directly impacts human health. By encompassing animal supplements, Tunisia can adopt a more holistic strategy for safeguarding public well-being.

This proposal is part of the global 'One Health' approach, as the composition of products consumed by livestock has a direct and immediate impact on human health.

— Mohamed Salah KedachiJustifying the union's proposal to extend regulations to animal dietary supplements.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Presse in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog