WHO to unveil global anticounterfeiting plan

On 15 November, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and its partners will officially launch the first International Medical Products Anticounterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT) and unveil the global plan to combat counterfeit medical products.

At its first official meeting in Bonn, Germany, IMPACT will release the most recent estimates of the number of counterfeit products currently circulating on the world's markets, launch pilot programmes in three countries, and present a tool to strengthen countries' legislative capacity to deal with medical counterfeiting.

IMPACT is focused on five action areas: legislative and regulatory infrastructure; regulatory implementation; enforcement; technology; and risk communication. 'Without changes and improvements in those key areas, we will not succeed in the fight against counterfeits,' said Dr Howard Zucker, WHO assistant director-general for health technology and pharmaceuticals.

'Counterfeit medicines must be tackled not only through global efforts but also by a truly collaborative, cross-cutting approach involving medicine regulatory authorities, health professionals, enforcement officials, law-makers and industry.'

Counterfeits are of greater concern in countries with weak regulatory control mechanisms. These are often the countries with the highest burden of disease, the poorest populations and the greatest need for reliable medicines.

The IMPACT initiative was first proposed by WHO in February this year. The taskforce was created in record time and is now ready to begin work. It is made up of WHO member states, on a voluntary basis, and more than 20 other major stakeholders, including Interpol, the World Customs Associations, patients' and medical organisations, the World Bank, the World Trade Organisation and the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Associations.