Swiss customs have discovered fake Molnupiravir, a drug used to treat mild COVID-19 infections, bearing manufacturer’s labels from Binh Duong Province, Vietnam, the Drug Administration of Vietnam (DAV) said on Thursday.

The DAV received notifications of the discovery from the World Health Organization’s office in Vietnam.

The fake Molnupiravir 400mg capsules were discovered in bottles of twenty capsules each, with each bottle bearing a label reading: “Manufactured by Công ty TNHH, Chi nhanh 1 so 40 dai, P. An Phu, Tx. Thuan An, Tinh Binh Duong, Vietnam” (Manufactured by Co. Ltd., Branch 1 No. 40 dai, An Phu Ward, Thuan An Town, Binh Duong Province, Vietnam).

Test results showed the drugs contained no actual active ingredient Molnupiravir.

The DAV requested that health departments at province- and city-levels issue a direct warning to business establishments, medical facilities, and consumers about the counterfeit Molnupiravir 400mg drugs.

The health departments are also tasked with leveraging press and media agencies to warn against the trade and use of the drug.

The DAV proposes that relevant units collect reports on the bogus Molnupiravir drug from trading establishments and medical facilities and coordinate with authorities to trace its origin so that the situation can be handled in accordance with current regulations.

Molnupiravir, prescribed for patients who have been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for five days or less, has been licensed for circulation and approved for emergency use in the treatment of the disease in many countries, such as the UK, the U.S., and Japan, according to the Vietnamese health ministry.

The DAV authorized three COVID-19 treatment drugs containing active ingredient Molnupiravir, namely Molravir 400mg made by Boston Vietnam Pharma, Movinavir 200mg manufactured by Mekophar Chemical Pharmaceutical, and Molnupiravir Stella 400mg produced by Stellapharm J.V Co. Ltd., on February 17.

These drugs are used to treat mild to moderate COVID-19 adult patients with at least one risk factor that could enhance the progression of the disease, according to the Vietnamese health ministry.

The drugs should not be used for pregnant women or those who are planning to become pregnant, nursing women, and children under 18 years old.

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