MoH refers group of socialites to Public Prosecution – Advertising medical products without proper license

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KUWAIT CITY, July 1: Deputy Director for Medicine and Nutrition Oversight in the Ministry of Health Dr Abdullah Al-Badr announced that the ministry has referred a group of socialites in various social communication platforms to the Public Prosecution for advertising medical products without acquiring proper licenses from concerned authorities.

Also, Kuwait Medical Association is preparing to look into legal guidelines, which would enable the prosecution of anyone who defames doctors through the social communication platforms.

In his role, Dr Al-Badr stated “the medical products being marketed by some socialites in the social communication platforms are not licensed by the concerned ministry, and this is considered a breach of law pertaining to advertisement regulations of products related to health.

“Such practice is prohibited by law irrespective of the platform the advertisement or marketing is conducted, and this includes human or veterinary medicine, formulas or plant, animal, chemical and food compound that have health effects in treatment or shape or appearance or even to weight loss and others.” He indicated that “anyone who violates the advertisement regulations is subjected to imprisonment of not more than a year, and a fine not exceeding KD 1,000 or one of the two punishments”.

He called on the public not to fall for such advertisements due to the health risks involved, and that people should take health information from licensed health practitioners.

Meanwhile, head of Kuwait Medical Association Dr Ahmad Al-Enezi mentioned that the association is consulting legal channels to prosecute those who defame doctors, as he called upon the Health Ministry not to pay attention to complaints laid by bloggers on social media and only take into consideration complaints filed through proper official channels.

In a statement, Dr Al-Enezi explained that many people are currently convinced that social communication media platforms are among channels for airing complaints, while in reality, such channels are defamation tools since many of the complaints are without merit or malicious aimed at agitation, fame and electoral gains-similar to what happened in the video clip regarding doctors in the Amiri Hospital. He called on the Health Ministry to defend doctors and the medical body, and not to allow anybody to tarnish their reputation or defame and shame them.

By Marwa Bahrawi

This news has been read 11489 times!

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