EFPIA warns of growing counterfeit threat to legitimate drug supply chain

The Europe Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations has called for "urgent measures...to protect European patients, including a ban on medicine repackaging," in order to deal with counterfeit drugs. However, the call was dismissed as a "subtle change in tactics" by the parallel trade group, the EAEPC, whose spokesman, Heinz Kobelt, told the Marketletter: "I'm not surprised by this change in tone."

Internet still main source of fake drugs

Previously, the EFPIA and some of its member drugmakers have argued that parallel trade should be outlawed on the grounds that fake medicines are entering the supply chain via repackaging (Marketletters passim). The group notes that substandard or counterfeit drugs are widespread in the developing world and are now being found increasingly in the European Union. "While Internet-based sales are the main source of counterfeit medicines, these products are also appearing in the traditional supply chain," the EFPIA claims.