Police raided the offices of five pharmaceutical importers on Wednesday for illegally advertising the anti-influenza drug Tamiflu online.
Osaka Prefectural Police searched the five drug importers after they advertised the anti-flu drug without government authorization -- a violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.
It was the first time police have carried out raids in the investigation of the illegal trade of anti-influenza virus medication, which is becoming increasingly common as swine flu spreads rapidly throughout Japan.
Currently, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare restricts sales of Tamiflu to its official Japanese distributor Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., and the advertisement or sale of the drug by other dealers is prohibited by the pharmaceutical law.
Investigators have searched a total of 12 locations in six prefectures, including the branch offices of one Osaka-based company, three Tokyo firms and one individual importer in Okayama.
Police allege the five distributors advertised the product by uploading photographs of Tamiflu 75mg packages to their Web site, in an apparent attempt to sell them for between 8,200 and 16,000 yen per 10 capsules, while claiming to be personal trade facilitators providing import management services.
Police will investigate whether the importers have already sold unapproved anti-flu drugs to customers.
Osaka Prefectural Police searched the five drug importers after they advertised the anti-flu drug without government authorization -- a violation of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.
It was the first time police have carried out raids in the investigation of the illegal trade of anti-influenza virus medication, which is becoming increasingly common as swine flu spreads rapidly throughout Japan.
Currently, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare restricts sales of Tamiflu to its official Japanese distributor Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., and the advertisement or sale of the drug by other dealers is prohibited by the pharmaceutical law.
Investigators have searched a total of 12 locations in six prefectures, including the branch offices of one Osaka-based company, three Tokyo firms and one individual importer in Okayama.
Police allege the five distributors advertised the product by uploading photographs of Tamiflu 75mg packages to their Web site, in an apparent attempt to sell them for between 8,200 and 16,000 yen per 10 capsules, while claiming to be personal trade facilitators providing import management services.
Police will investigate whether the importers have already sold unapproved anti-flu drugs to customers.
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