Global pharmaceutical industry calls for cooperation to fight counterfeit medicines

WASHINGTON — The global pharmaceutical industry has unveiled recommendations to tackle the growing public health threat of counterfeit or fake medicines. The industry''s call for increased public awareness and crackdown on makers of the unsafe products comes as a group of private U.S. companies launches the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) initiative to target illegal Internet pharmacies.

The four associations — International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA), Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), and Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) — represent the global research-based pharmaceutical industry and support broad-based initiatives like CSIP as important steps in the fight against counterfeits.

The joint statement said the IFPMA, PhRMA, EFPIA, and JPMA are joining forces to help protect patients worldwide by promoting access to safe and efficacious medicines, advocating robust patient education and awareness about counterfeiting, and combating unsafe medicines. In addition to supporting the individual and cooperative work of the U.S. government, the European Union and its Member States, the Japanese government, and international organizations, the four associations call on private sector stakeholders, including Internet domain name registrars, search engine operators, and payment service providers, to play critical roles in ensuring patient safety.