Philippines pharma's fake drugs warning

The Pharmaceutical Healthcare Association of the Philippines, which includes many international research-based drugmakers, has organized an anti-counterfeiting seminar in Pangasinan, the Philippines, in conjunction with the country's Bureau of Food and Drugs.

The theme of the gathering was the "need for collaboration between the different sectors of the industry and the different government agencies to fight against counterfeit drugs," according to Eufe Tantia, the PHAP's assistant vice president.

Another speaker, Nazarita Lanuza, the BFAD's Division I regulation director, spoke of joint actions taken by her bureau and the Drugstores Association of the Philippines, whose local members were the invitees of the seminar. Ms Lanuza outlined actions, such as: the licensing and inspection of production and distribution points; product registration and monitoring; sampling for quality control; the proper disposal of used empty vials; educating law enforcement agencies; and the creation of an Internet-based rapid alert system for fake drugs.