Four major pharmaceutical associations join forces to tackle counterfeit medicines

Rebecca Aris

pharmaphorum

Four major pharmaceutical associations have issued a joint policy statement to tackle counterfeit medicines from sources such as Internet pharmacies, which pose a growing public health threat.

The statement is released as the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) initiative is launched in the US by a group of private US companies to target illegal Internet pharmacies.

The four associations - International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers &amp, Associations (IFPMA), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), and Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) – represent the voice of the pharmaceutical industry in their respective regions.

According to the joint statement, they will join forces to help protect patients by “promoting access to safe and efficacious medicines, advocating for robust patient education and awareness, and combating unsafe medicines, including those sold by illegitimate online drug sellers that circumvent laws, regulations and pharmacy standards put in place to protect patients and their health.”

"Everybody is at risk of counterfeiting... counterfeiting is a crime against patients and poses a public health risk that can lead to treatment resistance, extended illness, disability and even death."

Eduardo Pisani, IFPMA Director General.

"Despite strong security of legitimate drug supply chains, law enforcement officials are increasingly facing an uphill battle as more and more criminals turn to the Internet to peddle their fake products to unsuspecting consumers. We applaud the work of CSIP and support it enthusiastically as a means of protecting patients."

John Castellani, President and CEO of PhRMA.

It is suggested that there have been documented cases of counterfeiting in 124 countries, demonstrating the widespread threat of counterfeit medicines.