Source: The State of Maranhão - MA - CITY - 09/10/2009

On the ground floor of a townhouse, at Rua do Arame, 38 types of herbal medicines were clandestinely manufactured; site had no hygiene conditions and no handling equipment needed to avoid product contamination.

A joint operation of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa), State Health Surveillance, Regional Pharmacy Council (CRF) and the Federal Police, closed a laboratory of herbal medicines, which operated in a clandestine manner, located at Rua do Arame, number 8 , in the Vinhais neighborhood. The person in charge of the place, Valter Santiago Pereira, 60 years old, was arrested in flagrante delicto taken to the Federal Police Superintendence, in Cohama.

According to the regulation specialist at Anvisa, Kleyson Ricardo, the Hensa Pharma laboratory had been under investigation for at least 6 months, when it was found that the responsible pharmacist was not the same one who handled the drugs. She has already sued Justice against Valter Santiago Pereira. "We have already been investigating the actions of those responsible for the laboratory, whose registration does not exist in Organs competent bodies", informed the specialist.

In the place where the “factory” operated, there was no hygiene condition for the preparation of medicines. The walls were full of infiltration, making the place a deposit of dirt and mold. “Given the situation in which the environment is, counterfeiting ended up being the least problem. The employees did not have the necessary equipment to not contaminate the products or not be contaminated ”, said one of the agents of the Health Surveillance.

Indication - The information contained in the product instructions was forged by the person responsible. It contained the indication that the drugs should be used to treat diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, gastritis and even cancer.

According to information from CRF and Anvisa employees, Valter Pereira has already had a license to handle herbal medicines, and his laboratory previously worked at Rua Cobalto, nº 1, Quadra 52, in the Coroado neighborhood, but, due to the unhealthy conditions of hygiene of the place, his record had been revoked.

Yesterday, Valter Pereira's neighbors were surprised by the movement of the police and the inspectors of the regulatory entities in Rua do Arame. One of the residents, who asked not to be identified, talked to O Estado and said he never suspected anything. “About a year ago, this building was deteriorated, with no use conditions. It has been restored and rented to kitchenettes at the top. All we know is that, a short time later, some machines arrived and only, he said.

Delegate Dora Lúcia, from the PF Department of Crimes, will initiate an investigation to investigate the crime committed by Valter Pereira, who must be included in Article 273 of the Penal Code, which deals with the production of drugs without authorization from a competent body, in addition to ideological falsehood, because of the use of another professional's record.

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About a ton of medicines and raw material for preparing the medicines were apprehended in the laboratory.

38 medicines were produced by Hensa Pharma. A 200 ml elixir of carnauba was sold to drugstores for R $ 525,00.

The pharmacies that purchased Hensa Pharma's drugs will have their products removed from the shelves immediately.