Mother and son have to pay 24,000 euros for illegal medication

Mother and son have to pay 24,000 euros for illegal medication

In a sensational case, the Mainz regional court has discontinued the trial against a 74-year-old mother and her 42-year-old son who were accused of illicit drug manufacturing. The two worked as owners and managing directors of a pharmaceutical company in Bingen. Between February 2018 and May 2019, they manufactured, stored and sold medicines and dietary supplements despite a refused permit. The total value of their sales was an impressive €299,262 for products sold to a facility in Edenkoben. The Welt reports that the effectiveness of these agents has not yet been proven.

The regional court discontinued the proceedings due to the unclear legal situation and the likelihood of lengthy evidence collection. The mother was sentenced to pay 20,000 euros and the son 4,000 euros. These funds go to non-profit organizations: The mother supports the victim-perpetrator aid Rheinhessen and the Mainz children's hospice with 10,000 euros. The son donates 4,000 euros to the Mainz Tafel.

Serious allegations and regulations

The production and sale of medicines are subject to strict regulations in the Medicines Act (AMG), which has been binding in Germany since 1976. This law regulates, among other things, the definition of the term medicinal product, the requirements for the production of medicinal products and the approval and registration of finished medicinal products. It serves to protect the health of the population and ensures that medicines are only manufactured and tested according to strict quality standards. Violations of these regulations are prosecuted as administrative offenses or even criminal offenses, which in this case also applies to the mother and son. Information about the law can be found on Wikipedia).

The proceedings have been going on for seven years and not only focuses on the personal responsibility of the defendants, but also raises questions about the entire regulation of the pharmaceutical industry. According to reports, the company in question is being wound up by an insolvency administrator, while confiscated medicines and nutritional supplements with a retail value of a staggering €3.5 million are being destroyed.

An end in sight?

Even though the trial has been discontinued, many unanswered questions remain. The unclear legal situation and the difficult evidence regarding the effectiveness of the products could lead to this issue continuing to be discussed in public. How will such cases be handled in the future? And what lessons does the industry learn from this incident? These questions are in the air and make it clear that the topic of drug regulation is highly topical.

The affected parties have learned a clear lesson in this case: in an area as sensitive as pharmaceutical manufacturing, careful action is essential and compliance with legal requirements is of paramount importance.