Pharmacists join fight against counterfeiting

The International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) has launched a dedicated web page on counterfeit medicines with the aim of providing pharmacists with the necessary resources to better serve their patients and the public and combat counterfeit medicines.

'The massive circulation of poor quality, harmful and counterfeit active ingredients and finished products in international commerce can seriously reduce the quality of patient care,' said FIP president Jean Parrot. 'FIP is assisting its member organisations in the implementation of its policy document on counterfeit medicines.'

The Working Group on Counterfeit Medicines was established in 2003 as a joint initiative of the FIP Board of Pharmaceutical Practice and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the increasing problem of fake drugs, particularly in developing countries. It is focusing on raising public awareness about counterfeits and the dangers of purchasing medicines over the internet, collecting and providing data through collaboration with patients and consumers, encouraging the reporting of counterfeits, involving quality control laboratories and improving training in the area of counterfeit medicines.

The new webpage, available at www.pharmacistscombatcounterfeiting.org, will address five main areas: policy and guidelines; initiatives; publications; information for patients and public; and reporting a counterfeit case.