The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD) have warned drugstores, pharmacists and the public in the general against falling prey to unscrupulous traders selling fake anti-flu vaccines.

The NBI issued the warning on Friday as it expanded its monitoring of drugstores to the entire Luzon, including Metro Manila, following reports of the selling of a fake anti-flu vaccine called Vaxigrip.

Last week, a medical representative was arrested during an operation conducted by operatives of the NBI Anti-Fraud and Computer Crimes Division (AFCCD) in Laguna.

“We are warning drugstore owners and pharmacists against fake flu vaccines. We advise them to check on the lot number and manufacturing and expiration date and carefully examine the appearance of the vials to know what is genuine or not,” said BFA director Nancy Tacandong.

The NBI expanded its monitoring after reports that the fake drugs were being sold in some stores in Luzon, including stores in Laguna, Manila and Makati.

“Samples of the content of the alleged fake flu vaccines are now being examined in a lab test to know what is the effect of the substance,” said the BFAD official, adding that the public may call up BFAD Hotline 842-5606 and 809-4390 or NBI Hotline 524-5395 and 525-4093 regarding any information about the fake flu vaccines.

Last week, NBI agents arrested a former medical representative of a drug company and seized several cartons of fake flu vaccines worth R4 million during a raid in San Pedro, Laguna.

NBI Director lawyer Nestor M. Mantaring also warned the public against purchasing fake anti-flu vaccines.

Mantaring identified the suspect as Jennifer M. Cristobal, 28, businesswoman, and resident of 19 Lily St., Sampaguita Village, San Pedro, Laguna. She is said to be a former medical representative of Sanofi Pasteur.

“We estimated that the amount of confiscated fake vaccines from the raided house-establishment amounted to P4 million,” said Deputy Director for Special Investigation Services lawyer Rickson L. Chiong.

The raid stemmed from the complaint of Sanofi Pasteur, a BFAD-registered company that manufactures and markets pharmaceutical products including Vaxigrip (Inactivated Influenza Vaccine).

The products and trademark of Sanofi Pasteur are also registered with the Intellectual Property Office.

The investigation conducted by the NBI-AFCCD headed by Assistant Regional Director Vicente de Guzman III showed that the bureau had received information that certain individuals in Laguna were engaged in the sale and distribution of fake anti-flu vaccines.

Sanofi Pasteur requested the NBI to conduct an investigation into the reported selling of the fake anti-flu vaccine.

Head Agent Palmer Mallari, executive officer of the NBI-AFCCD, said surveillance conducted confirmed the report. He said the NBI learned that Cristobal of KNJ Marketing and Prime Gold Enterprises at 19 Lily St., Sampaguita Village, San Pedro, was engaged in the illegal and unauthorized manufacture, distribution and sale of counterfeit products, particularly Sanofi Pasteur pharmaceutical products such as but not limited to Vaxigrip.