Such nefarious behaviour is a serious deception because it may deprive patients of the right treatment and pose a risk of more infections, he said.

Favipiravir is a controlled drug that should be under close medical supervision. There are side effects and treatment effects that must be monitored while using the drug, especially by those with congenital diseases or pregnant women. Therefore, the drug cannot be sold to the public through general channels.

The police recently arrested nine suspects for smuggling Favipiravir and selling the tablets online without permission. Some 390 boxes of the drug have been seized so far.

PM orders crackdown on Favipiravir smuggling

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered officials to clamp down and arrest “fake Favipiravir” smugglers as the anti-Covid tablet has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, government spokesman Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana said on Thursday.