Generic groups, wholesalers and pharmacists launch anticounterfeit "pact"

The European Generic Medicines Association (EGA) has launched a 'pact' against counterfeiting of drugs, together with representatives of pharmaceutical wholesalers and retail pharmacists.

Greg Perry, EGA director general, said the EGA proposes to set up a working group that will try to improve the licensing system at the national level and look into the possibility of setting up databases of certified companies. The group will examine the weak points of the current system. The fact that the UK has the highest incidence of counterfeit drugs will come under particular scrutiny.

The pact consists of the EGA, the European Association of Pharmaceutical Full-Line Wholesalers (GIRP) and the Pharmaceutical Group of the European Union (PGEU). The latter body represents EU retail pharmacists. The pact will be open to the pharmaceutical industry and also to parallel trade firms. Patient Associations and national authorities involved in the fight to stop counterfeiting will also be welcome to join.

Heinz Kobelt, secretary general of the European Association of Euro-Pharmaceutical Companies (EAEPC), representing parallel trade, said he would definitely join.

EGA has opted to exclude technological options, such as barcode systems, essentially because they are costly. But Perry said cost issues are not the only reason that has led the EGA to exclude technology from its pact. There is also the consideration that it would take a long time to implement. Moreover, he had doubts as to the reliability of technologies.

The pharmaceutical industry has planned to use barcodes to trace its products. The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries Associations (EFPIA) is to launch a pilot project to test the 2D data-matrix barcoding system next year; the budget involved is Euro 1m euros.

EFPIA estimates the industry will have to pay between €150m and €600m to install 2D data matrix equipment on packaging lines, and this excludes the cost of setting up a data exchange network.

The EGA points out that in the EU drug counterfeiting essentially affects proprietary brands. "At present there are no recorded cases of counterfeit generic medicines in the EU as counterfeiters target high value brand pharmaceuticals such as Viagra and Cialis," it states.