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Weekly Update | May 17, 2010 |
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Anti-counterfeiting
Initiative: Promoting the Quality of Medicines
As incidents and awareness
surrounding illicit and counterfeit drugs grows, so too do the programs and
technologies to combat them.
Over the next few weeks,
we'll be examining just that: anti-counterfeit technologies and the programs
designed to support them. While there's no silver bullet technology or program
to mitigate the global threat of counterfeit drugs, a combination of
technologies, programs and laws to protect patients and punish criminals is
needed to help reduce this hazard to public health.
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The Promoting the Quality
of Medicines (PQM) program is one initiative deserving of mention. This
cooperative effort between the U.S. Agency for International Development
(USAID) and the U.S. Pharmacopeia Convention (USP) was developed in late 2009.
The goal of the PQM program
is to improve the safety of medicines in 28 countries across the globe by
working with regulatory agencies, increasing the supply of legitimate products,
reducing the availability of counterfeits through testing and other methods,
and increasing public awareness about the dangers of counterfeit medicines.
According to the USP's statement on the partnership, the PQM program
will build upon the work of the Drug Quality and Information (DQI) program,
which was successful in:
- Establishing the first large-scale continuous drug
monitoring program in Africa, Asia and Latin America
- Increasing capacity to address gaps in Asia's quality assurance of medicines
- Helping the Global Drug Facility in efforts to increase the
availability of anti-tuberculosis medicines at affordable prices
The PQM program aims to
expand on these activities in Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America and
sub-Saharan Africa.
When asked about the value
of programs like PQM, the Partnership for Safe Medicines President (PSM) Marv
Shepherd said, "We've said many times that collaboration at the
international level is essential to combating this very real threat from which
no country is immune."
Referencing the counterfeit
antimalarials that came to a DQI sentinel site last July, Shepherd added,
"We've seen how cooperatives like the PQM program can reduce the risk of
patient contact with counterfeit drugs, through drug monitoring and public
awareness."
The global reach of
counterfeit drugs will be one key issue discussed at the PSM's
2010 Interchange on Oct. 8, 2010, which will bring together patient groups,
health care providers, industry experts, enforcement personnel, policymakers
and regulatory experts.
You
can learn more about the PQM program at USP.org/Worldwide |
Top News
Industry
Experts Back WHO's Role in Fighting Counterfeit Drugs
The
International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations
(IFPMA) just unveiled its principles on fighting counterfeit drugs. Within the
principles, the IFPMA affirms the role of the World Health Organization (WHO)
in leading the international effort against counterfeit medicines. These
principles are released among concern by some over WHO's involvement in issues
pertaining to counterfeit drugs. Haruo Naito, president of the IFPMA, said that
the industry group is "ready to be an active partner in WHO-led efforts,
including IMPACT." Support for IMPACT was echoed by Thomas Kubic, chief
executive of the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, who pointed out that the
number of counterfeit medicine incidents worldwide rose almost 7 per cent in
2009. ("IFPMA backs WHO to lead anti-counterfeit fight," Securing Pharma,
May 12, 2010; Story
here)
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World News
Europe: Members of Parliament Crack Down
on Counterfeit Drugs
Lifestyle drugs, cancer drugs,
anti-malarials and painkillers are frequently purchased on the Internet but,
unfortunately, they are often counterfeit when they come from online sources. Members
of the European Parliament recently voted in favor of new mandatory safety
rules for medicines in general, including internet sales, to reduce the number
of counterfeit drugs in the EU. Said one member, Fran�oise Grosset�te of France,
"I regret that the regime is not as tough on drugs as [on] food. For example, we authorize
the repackaging of medicine but they can't repackage a package of pasta." In
the future any website wanting to sell drugs online in the EU will face stricter
regulation and have to be listed on a European database along with carrying an EU
logo. ("Parliament Takes Action Against Counterfeit Medicines In Europe," GovMonitor,
May 9. 2010; Story
here)
Taiwan: President Pledges to Fight
Counterfeits
President Ma Ying-jeou, attending a
seminar at the Anping Industrial Zone in Tainan
about his proposed Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement with China, said the government must crack down on
counterfeit goods from China.
The government has launched a crackdown against counterfeit drugs, and
especially against the propagation of the counterfeits by underground radio
stations. Taiwanese manufacturers fear that cheap, substandard goods from China will flood Taiwan's market and drive them out
of business, causing a rise in unemployment. ("Ma promises to tackle
counterfeit goods from China,"
Taiwan News, May 6, 2010; Story here) |
Events
5th Annual Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting Strategies (Philadelphia, PA) When: Monday, May 24, 2010 Where: Philadelphia, PA Global Trade of Counterfeit Medicines in the Developing
World When: Thursday, May 27, 2010 Where: Washington D.C. Keynote Address: "A Safe Medicines Chest for the World:
Preventing Substandard Products from Tainting India's Pharmaceuticals" by Dr.
Roger Bate (Fellow, American Enterprise Institute) The Drug Information Association 46th Annual Meeting When: Sunday, Jun 13, 2010 Where: Washington D.C. Description: Link
here 5th Global Pharma Manufacturing Summit When: Monday, Jun 14, 2010 Where: Boston, MA Description: Link
here Global Pharma Authentication When: Monday, Jun 14, 2010 Where: Munich, Germany Description: Link here 4th Annual Pharmaceutical Anti-Counterfeiting Strategies
Conference When: Tuesday, Sep 7, 2010 Where: London, UK Description: Link here
PSM's Inaugural 2010
Interchange When: Friday, Oct 8, 2010 Where: Washington, D.C. Description: The Partnership for Safe
Medicines invites you to save the date for an intimate conference
bringing together patient groups, providers, pharmaceutical company quality
experts, enforcement personnel, policymakers, regulatory agency experts and
other interested parties to discuss key issues around counterfeit drugs and
other unsafe medicines. Link
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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