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Monday, 5th November 2012
In General Japan News,
Seiyu 'faked' staff data for OTC drugs certification exam
Supermarket chain Seiyu GK is alleged to have faked documents enabling 200 of its employees to take an examination in order to sell over-the-counter drugs, stated sources from the health ministry.
Some staff had not even worked in a drugstore before, which in Japanese law is a prerequisite for selling drugs, according to a report in Kyodo News.
Entrants to the exam are required to have worked for one year and for more than 80 hours per month under supervisors.
In more than 19 prefectures – including Tokyo and Osaka – unqualified Seiyu employees sat the exam.
The ones who passed and have received their certificate have been selling medications illegally at Seiyu outlets, stated the sources.
Prior to sitting the exam, it is necessary for the applicants to submit documents issued by their workplace charting their supervised work experience.
Seiyu allegedly increased the number of hours its employees had worked in those official documents and had even faked the records of some employees who had never sold medications before, the sources said.
Specific drugs do not need a doctor's prescription to be purchased, however they must be sold by qualified workers because of possible side effects that they may cause to consumers.
"The documents were compiled by supervisors of the drug sales division at each Seiyu outlet, and our Tokyo headquarters did not detect the misstatements," a company official told the report.
Posted by Mark Smith
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