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Weekly Update | April 19, 2010 |
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Across the Pond: Counterfeit Medicines in the UK
Lately, we've posted a lot
about counterfeit drug issues in the U.S., as well as our
recommendations to government agencies on how to better protect Americans from
this growing threat to public health.
Other developed nations are
addressing the same problems.
In January, the United Kingdom's (UK)
Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) published a short report on measures underway in the UK to address
counterfeit drugs, which includes an emphasis on awareness, addressing online
pharmacies, anti-counterfeiting technologies and legislation.
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Awareness POST notes that in addition to issuing alerts when it identifies a public
health risk, the UK's
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) staffs a 24-hour
hotline for reporting counterfeits and encourages all agencies from police to
pharmacies to report suspect drugs. MHRA is working on public education
campaigns and private industry is also doing its part to spread awareness about
the dangers of counterfeit drugs, including the ongoing campaign run by
Pfizer.
Online Pharmacies The private and public sectors are also working on raising awareness of illicit
online pharmacies. POST noted that the European Alliance for Access to Safe
Medicines (EAASM) estimates that 62 percent of Web sites that conceal their
physical address supply counterfeit drugs.
To combat counterfeit drugs
online, EEASM has proposed that internet search and credit card companies bar
unauthorized sites from search results and impose extra checks on transactions.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain has an accreditation system
that identifies legitimate online pharmacies with a logo.
Anti-Counterfeiting
Technologies POST also noted the promise in anti-counterfeiting technology, including tools
already in use, such as:
- Specialized printing and security inks
- Holograms
- Watermarks
- Tamper-evident packaging
And while packaging has
been known to be mimicked by counterfeiters, POST wrote that emerging
technologies at the supply level-such as unique identification numbers, 2-D
barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification tagging under trial in the U.S.-are
"widely supported but raise[s] issues of costs and agreement on a
harmonized system for use in the global supply chain.
Policy and
Legislation According to POST, MHRA is "seeking to raise tariffs on counterfeit
offenses and is consulting on policies to improve the security of the regulated
national supply chain. In the broader European Union (EU), POST wrote that the
European Commission outlined proposals to tackle counterfeit drugs in 2006, and
will likely approve a directive on falsified medicines in 2010. Proposals to
prevent counterfeits from entering the supply chain include:
- Tighter import requirements for medicines and
ingredients from outside the EU, including more robust inspections and
enforcement
- Using mandatory safety features (like individual
product codes or seals) on high-risk medicines
- More rigorous inspection of wholesale
Speaking
into drug importation back in November, I noted that our likenesses and
strong historical connection with the British can provide a false sense of
security about the UK's
supply chain for prescription drugs.
However,
reports like those from POST remind us that no country is truly safe from
counterfeit medicines-and that we must continue toward the goal of mitigating
this threat from all angles. |
Top News
US:
Stolen Drugs Present Mounting Risk to Consumers
Prescription
drugs are becoming a growing target for thieves as some medications are worth
more than gold, ounce for ounce. At a recent break-in at an Eli Lilly warehouse
in Enfield, Connecticut, thieves drove off with $75
million worth of prescription pills for depression and schizophrenia. Last year,
a parked truck containing insulin was left unattended briefly and more than 100,000
vials were stolen. Through theft and collaboration and due to lax supervision,
these stolen and counterfeit drugs can be sold back into the legitimate drug
pipeline. For example, some of the stolen insulin was dispensed to diabetics
and because the stolen vials had not been properly refrigerated, some patients
experienced problems with blood-sugar control. (Snatched: Drugs Rank High in Stolen
Goods, Pasadena Star, April 14, 2010; Story here)
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World News
US:
Counterfeit Incidents Increase Worldwide More than 100
countries reported incidents of counterfeit drugs in 2008. And industry
insiders say the number of counterfeit drugs on the market is increasing by as
much as 25 percent a year. In Ghana,
an estimated 4,000 children die every year from counterfeit medications for
malaria. In the West, consumers have purchased online counterfeit drugs
containing rat poison and have died as a result. Countries around the world are
fighting the problem in innovative ways but the counterfeiters are proving
equally innovative. In order to fight this increase, stronger international law
enforcement is needed. ("Counterfeit Drugs Post Growing Public Health Threat," Voice
of America, April 10, 2010; Story
here) Taiwan: Premier Takes Lead on Prioritizing
the Fight Against Counterfeit Drugs Premier Wu
Den-yih announced that strengthening crackdowns on counterfeit drugs and
underground radio stations were done to protect the public's health. Some underground
radio stations in Taiwan
broadcast advertisements for counterfeit or substandard medicine and the
premier asked authorities to crack down in response. From Jan. 1 to April 14, police
uncovered 65 cases involving the sale of unlicensed drugs and arrested eight
suspects. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Wu stated that it is the government's
responsibility to eradicate the sale of unlicensed drugs and that all departments
should work diligently toward that goal. (Premier Stresses Determination to Fight
Counterfeit Drugs, Focus Taiwan, April 15, 2010; Story
here)
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About the Partnership for Safe Medicines
The Partnership for Safe Medicines is a group of organizations and individuals that have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or contraband medicines. For more information, please visit SafeMedicines.org.
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