The Pharmaceutical Society of Kenya (PSK) is pushing for stricter rules on the opening and operation of pharmacies as concerns grow over the sale of falsified medicines in Kenya.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

The regulator wants pharmacies to obtain the necessary approval directly from the Board, with officials raising concerns that some outlets could be operating under county permits without going through the required pharmaceutical checks.

According to the PSK, a county permit alone does not confirm that a pharmacy has met the professional and medicine-safety requirements needed to operate; instead, the society wants its approval to allow it to verify the premises, the professionals running them, and the medicines being sold.

This push comes at a time when the regulator is warning Kenyans about falsified medicines already making their way into the market.

📌 What You Need to Know

On Monday September 28 On Monday, September 28, the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) warned the public about falsified Lucentis (Ranibizumab) 0.3mg injections after the products were detected through its post-marketing surveillance activities.

Lucentis is an eye medicine containing ranibizumab and is administered through an injection into the eye to treat conditions that can lead to vision loss.

During a recent meeting with the Kenya Healthcare Federation in preparation for the Kenya Public Health International Conference (KEPHIC) 2026, Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni also flagged fake medicine, calling on Kenyans to obtain medicines only from licensed pharmacies and authorised outlets rather than websites, social media pages or informal traders.

“We have advised members of the public to avoid medicines sold through unverified websites, social media pages, informal traders or other unauthorised outlets, and also check the packaging to ensure the drugs are safe,” she stated.

According to PSK, allowing pharmacies to rely on county permits without its verification can create gaps in oversight, and the board now wants to be able to inspect pharmacies and confirm that they meet the standards required for pharmaceutical practice.

In the PSK case, the concern is about what happens after a pharmacy opens because without proper inspection and oversight, pharmacists say there can be gaps in checking how medicines are stored, handled, and supplied to the patients.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke