The
Government plans to adopt a national strategy to fight fake medicines. The
first time the problem was faced in Mongolia was in October 1994 when fake
penicillin was found. Since then the problem has grown and a joint inspection by
the Health Ministry, the Professional Monitoring Authority and the World Health
Organization in 2005-2007 found that 28 brands of medicines were sub-standard or
downright fake.

The
necessary laws are there but implementation is poor; and the punishment does
not hurt the offender. The high price of medicines encourages adulteration.
There are 34 privately-owned medicine factories in Mongolia, 136 suppliers, 1,026
pharmacies, and 821 trained pharmacists.

Mongolians
use 1,500 types of medicines produced in 200 factories of 30 countries. Only
about 60 percent of them are bought on a prescription.