Foreign pharmaceutical companies repeatedly violated quality regulations last year, the head of the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Management Department said at a conference held in Hanoi on January 13.

Omeprazole, an imported medicine. The drugs watchdog has accused foreign pharmaceutical companies of not always following quality regulations.

Dr. Truong Quoc Cuong, speaking at a meeting between the Health Ministry and foreign drug companies said there were 41 such infringements compared to 12 in 2007.

Indian companies topped the list with 35 offences, he said.

Most of them involve drugs like Cefixime, Cefaclor, Rifampicin, Omeprazole and Lanzoprazole, the department has reported in the past.

By the end of last year there were 438 foreign drug firms in Vietnam, 68 more than in 2007, the attendees heard.

The increasing foreign presence has helped expand drug supply in the country, Dr. Cuong said.

They hold 60 percent of the market and this domination also causes volatility in prices, particularly affecting poor patients, he added.