Counterfeit Medicines

Counterfeit Medicines Advice for Healthcare Professionals

Guidance for Pharmacists and Dispensing Doctors

  • Source: gov.uk
  • Pharmacy Resource: Guidance
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Counterfeit medicines: what pharmacists should know

How pharmacists can prevent counterfeits reaching patients.

  • Source: gov.uk
  • Pharmacy Resource: Update
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Yellow Card extended to include devices, counterfeits and defective medicines

  • Source: gov.uk
  • Pharmacy Resource: Update
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Counterfeit medicines and devices: MHRA

This section provides information on how we are tackling the problem of counterfeit medicines and medical devices.

  • Source: webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various (Archived Content)
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Directive 2011/62/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 8 June 2011

amending Directive 2001/83/EC on the Community code relating to medicinal products for human use, as regards the prevention of the entry into the legal supply chain of falsified medicinal products

  • Source: ec.europa.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Directive
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Q&A: Directive on falsified medicines

  • Source: ec.europa.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Questions and Answers
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Implementing the Falsified Medicines Directive: Safety Features

How to prepare for implementation and compliance of the Safety Features Regulation.

  • Source: gov.uk
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various
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FIP (International Pharmaceutical Federation) Statement of Policy on Counterfeit Medicines

  • Source: fip.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Statement
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White Paper on “The Anti-Counterfeiting of Medicines”
European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations Anti- Counterfeiting Group

EFPIA issued its original White Paper on “The Anti-Counterfeiting of Medicines” in November 2005. That paper focussed on the need to further develop European legislation against counterfeit medicines as well as on effective and affordable solutions for transparent supply chain control. This updated EFPIA White Paper is intended to express the views of the European-based innovative pharmaceutical industry associated within the EFPIA to combat counterfeiting effectively.

  • Source: efpia.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Position Paper
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Falsified Medicines and the Global Public’s Health

This report was researched and written by Dr Usman Kahn and Stephan Kreutzer of Matrix Insight and Dr Jennifer Gill and Professor David Taylor of the UCL School of Pharmacy.

Against this background this brief report examines issues relating to the control and prevention of falsified medicines supply, and the related public health protection and improvement roles of the World Health Organisation and other ‘UN system’ agencies.

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Report
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The role of hospital pharmacists in counterfeit medicines

Pharmacists are the key to patient safety with regard to medication. Hospital pharmacists can play a major role in the fight against counterfeit medicines not only by ensuring the safety of medicines but by reporting suspicious cases and raising the awareness of the general public.

  • Source: eahp.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Journal Article
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Counterfeit medicines – it will never happen to me

There are two kinds of medicine: quick acting and long lasting, and we have to decide whether we want to feel better now or later. But there is another, counterfeit medicine, and this one is not funny at all. The risk is that, at best, it will never make you feel better. At worst, it will kill you.

  • Source: eahp.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Journal Article
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IFPMA’S 10 Principles on Counterfeit Medicines

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Infographic
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Council of Europe European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare (EDQM) and the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs, Criminal Law Division UN Internet Governance Forum (IGF), Sharm El Sheik, 15-18 November 2009 Workshop “Medicines on the web – risks and benefits”

The workshop, co-organised by the Council of Europe EDQM and the Criminal Law Division, dealt with health protection of the internet user from counterfeit medicines and other illegal offers of pharmaceuticals and healthcare products via the internet through empowerment of the internet user, establishment of best practices and regulatory policies, and, where necessary, legal instruments for combating counterfeiting of medicinal products and similar crimes threatening public health, where necessary.

  • Source: edqm.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Workshop Report
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Safe internet buying of medicines: why and how pharmacists should help

The impact of the Internet on the delivery of healthcare services is phenomenal. People’s ability to assess risk has not changed, so we become vulnerable to new ways of exploitation. An understanding of thought processes may enable us to change the “it will never happen to me” mentality!

  • Source: eahp.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Journal Article
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Internet Sales and Access to Safe Medicines

As more and more patients look to the Internet for the supply of medicines, IFPMA, PhRMA, EFPIA, and JPMA are united in the effort to protect their safety. We are committed to promoting access to safe and efficacious medicines, advocating for robust patient education and awareness, and combating unsafe medicines, including those sold by illegitimate online drug sellers that circumvent laws, regulations and pharmacy standards put in place to protect patients and their health.

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Statement
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Toolkit – Be Aware, Take Action – World Health Professions Alliance

This toolkit has been designed to help educate and improve the capacity of health professionals to detect, report and prevent counterfeit medical products. Three target audiences are catered for – health professionals, patients and public health advocates.

  • Source: whpa.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Campaign Materials
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Partnership For Safe Medicines

Comprised of more than 45 non-profit organizations, The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) is a public health group committed to the safety of prescription drugs and protecting consumers against counterfeit, substandard or otherwise unsafe medicines.

  • Source: safemedicines.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various
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European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines

The European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines (EAASM) is an independent, pan-European initiative dedicated to protecting patient safety by ensuring access to safe and legitimate medicines. The Alliance was formed by a cross-section of European stake-holders from a variety of backgrounds. Its key activities include campaigning for the safer use of unlicensed or off-label medicines and also the exclusion of counterfeit and substandard medicines from the supply chain, raising public awareness around such issues, and promoting effective legislation and enforcement in relation to falsified medicines.

On this website you will find a wealth of information about counterfeit and substandard medicines. Our top tips section will help you to reassure yourself that the prescription medicine you are buying is genuine. Our news section will provide you with the latest news on counterfeit medicines in Europe and around the world as well as updates about the EAASM activities. The EAASM constantly updates and adds useful resources to the website so you can get as much information as possible about obtaining safe medicines.

  • Source: eaasm.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various
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Substandard and Falsified (SF) Medical Products – WHO

The existence of substandard and falsified (SF) medical products is an unacceptable risk to public health. They affect every region of the world, and medicines from all major therapeutic categories have been reported, including vaccines and diagnostics. They harm patients and undermine confidence in medical products, healthcare professionals and health systems. WHO is working with stakeholders to minimize the risks from SF medical products by collecting data and transferring knowledge and good practices to countries.

  • Source: who.int
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various
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Pharmaceutical Security Institute

The Pharmaceutical Security Institute is a not-for-profit, membership organization dedicated to:

Protecting the Public Health
Sharing Information on the Counterfeiting of Pharmaceuticals
Initiating Enforcement Actions through the Appropriate Authorities

  • Source: psi-inc.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Various
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Fight The Fakes

Fight the Fakes is a campaign that aims to raise awareness about the dangers of fake medicines. The campaign gives a voice to those who have been personally impacted and shares the stories of those working to put a stop to this threat to public health. It seeks to build a global movement of organizations and individuals who will shine light on the negative impact that fake medicines have on people around the globe and to reduce the negative consequences on individuals worldwide.

Fight the Fakes partners endorse the campaign and share the belief that coordination among all actors involved in the manufacturing and distribution of medicines is vital to tackle this public health threat.

As part of this effort, Fight the Fakes www.fightthefakes.org is collecting and sharing the stories of those who are impacted by fake medicines and are speaking up. The website also serves as a resource for organizations and individuals who are looking to support this effort by outlining opportunities for action and sharing what others are doing to fight fake medicines.

  • Source: fightthefakes.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Campaign
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Counterfeit Medicines & Patients’ Safety – A global threat
Thalassaemia International Federation

The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) has focused attention for some time now and continues to do so, on the need for more strengthened and coordinated actions towards ensuring patients’ safety by protecting them against what WHO refers to as counterfeit/substandard/spurious/falsely labelled/falsified medicinal products.

  • Source: thalassaemia.org.cy
  • Pharmacy Resource: Position Paper
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Tool for Visual Inspection of Medicines

The tool is designed to help health professionals carry out a visual inspection of medicines for signs of counterfeiting such as improper packaging, labelling or description of dosage.

  • Source: fip.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Checklist
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The Genuine Danger of Counterfeit Medicines

How counterfeit medicines can affect patients’ health in Europe.

  • Source: youtube.com
  • Pharmacy Resource: Video
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FIP-IFPMA Brochure: The threat of false friends

Falsified medicines have been found in 124 countries and everybody, whether rich or poor, is at risk of this criminal activity.

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Brochure
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Counter the Counterfeits

Can you tell a real medicine from a fake?

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Video
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Watch Out for False Friends

Every day, fake medicines find their way into online and physical pharmacies, hospitals, and street markets. This plague knows no borders. In the best case scenario, fake medicines leave patients with no side-effects but also without a cure.

  • Source: ifpma.org
  • Pharmacy Resource: Video
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European Commission: European Union fights fake medicines

  • Source: ema.europa.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Video
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European Commission: Buying medicines online: The wrong click could be fatal

  • Source: ema.europa.eu
  • Pharmacy Resource: Video
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Pharmacy Resources Last Checked: 28/09/2021

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