The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

CONSUMER Protection Commission (CPC) executive chairman Randy Rolle clarified  that outdated medication was found in certain “Over-the-Hill” stores selling over-the-counter items — not in licensed pharmacies, as his comments on Monday implied.

During a press conference  highlighting the commission’s activities, Mr Rolle said: “Beyond grocery stores, we observed that some Over-the-Hill counter medication in drug stores were outdated, which also poses a health risk.”

He added that the CPC intended to “leverage existing laws” to address the violations.

When asked for further clarification, he explained that while some medications have a “best used by” date, oversight of these matters falls to a National Insurance Board committee.

On Tuesday, Marvin Smith, head of the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association (BPA), responded sharply, calling the idea of a CPC partnership “laughable” and accusing Mr Rolle of unfairly implicating the pharmaceutical sector.

Following this, the CPC issued a statement saying Mr Rolle’s comments were “taken out of context, leading to misunderstanding” about the CPC’s intentions.

“To be clear, the CPC categorically denies any allegations suggesting we attempted to misrepresent or criticise the Bahamas Pharmaceutical Association,” the CPC said. “During our remarks, we made no references to pharmacies or pharmacy operations, nor did we imply any criticism of licensed pharmacists. Our comments were specifically directed at concerns surrounding some ‘over-the-hill’ stores that sell over-the-counter medications, which operate distinctly from licensed pharmacies.”

 In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Rolle refrained from providing details about specific stores allegedly selling expired medication.