The Rahmat Rabi (‘mercy of God’) or RHB drug scandal is not the first such scandal to hit Algeria. The pharmaceutical sector has a long history of such incidents. The RHB scandal is particularly unfortunate, however, because it comes at a time when the sector had taken major steps to get its house in order, to the point of becoming an attractive sector for foreign investors.

RHB has been marketed in many Algerian pharmacies as a miracle cure for diabetes. Although it came on the market in February 2016, it did not become a scandal until 7 December, following the death of a 75-year-old diabetic who had died after replacing his insulin with the dietary supplement.

Health Minister Abdelmalek Boudiaf played a key role in RHB’s initial promotion and marketing. At the time he called it a ‘drug’ but now calls it a ‘dietary supplement’. It has now been taken off the market and being is analysed, although initial reports suggest it is nothing more than components of olive oil.

The inventor of the product calls himself ‘Doctor’ Toufik Zaitete. In spite of not having any medical qualification – as well as a track record of such scams going back to 2004, and no employment record with the Saidal Group as he and health department officials claimed – he was heavily promoted by both Boudiaf and the Echorouk TV channel, which is infamous for peddling untruths and government propaganda.

After Boudiaf’s initial promotion of Zaitete and RHB in early 2016, he continued to promote it. He told the public: ‘This drug has no side effects. Some of the follow-up cases have finally got rid of insulin and tablets (…). The pancreas has resumed its activity of (secretion).’

Boudiaf, the commerce ministry, and the prime minister’s office are now in trouble. They all have serious questions to answer, not just from opposition MPs, such as the Parti des Travailleurs’ (PT) Nadia Chouitem, but from a raft of professional organisations which have had enough of their reputations being damaged by charlatans and corrupt government officials. Boudiaf was even warned by several of these organisations when the untested and un-analysed ‘drug’ first came on the market, but completely ignored them. Prime Minister Sellal also ignored warnings from professional bodies.

The government now has the Doctors’ College, the National Union of Pharmacists (Snapo), the National Council of Ethics and Medical Conduct, the National Council of the Medical Association and the Order of Pharmacists all taking up the case and demanding answers from the ministers of health and commerce, and the prime minister.

The National Council of Ethics and Medical Conduct and the National Council of the Medical Association are both preparing their responses. Consultations between professional organisations of doctors and pharmacists are under way to decide on what action they will take in the case. Discussions are already under way with lawyers to see what legal avenues are open. Prosecutions are expected.

This article was taken from Menas’ Associates monthly publication, Algeria Focus.