HCMC – Deputy Minister of Health Truong Quoc Cuong today, December 10, was detained after a month of being prosecuted for his alleged dereliction of duty in Vietnam Pharma JSC’s (VN Pharma) fake cancer drug import and trade.
The Supreme People’s Procuracy also approved the Ministry of Public Security’s decision to stop placing Cuong under house arrest, the local media reported.
The decision followed a broader investigation into the Vietnamese pharmaceutical firm’s trading in fake drugs labeled Health 2000 Canada.
As of November 11, 14 people involved in the cases had been indicted and Cuong was charged with irresponsibility, causing serious consequences. Nguyen Minh Hung, former chairman and general director of VN Pharma; Vo Manh Cuong, former director of H&C Company; and seven other accomplices were charged with trading in fake drugs.
VN Pharma’s trading in fake cancer drugs has sparked public concern over the past seven years.
Accordingly, dossiers of Health 2000-labeled drugs were ineligible for registration for import to Vietnam, but Cuong’s subordinates proposed the Vietnam Drug Administration approve its registration.
The Vietnam Drug Administration also suggested the General Department of Vietnam Customs suspend the import of the Health 2000 Canada drug.
Meanwhile, Cuong, head of the administration at the time, failed to suspend the circulation of drugs and reclaim them, paving the way for four out of seven Health 2000-labeled drugs worth over VND3.7 billion to be continuously used.
According to investigators, Cuong must bear responsibility for these violations, which caused losses of over VND50.6 billion for the State.
