Russian govt takes note of fake drug threat

Russia's Federation Council has warned that the threat of fake drugs is "acute" and "burning" in the country. A meeting of the government body in early June on the theme of "the role of the state in the protection of the Russian market from counterfeit medicines" decided to form a working party to draft proposals for changes to current legislation.

Alexander Chukhraev, the Deputy Chairman of the State Duma's Committee on Social Policy of the Russian Federation, told the gathering that between 10% and 12% of all pharmaceutical products sold via pharmacies are counterfeit. Opinion polls have shown that about two in five Russian citizens fear they are taking substandard or counterfeit drugs.

The working party proposed by the Federation Council should be composed of representatives of the Ministry of Health Care and Social Development (Roszdravnadzor), the Federal Customs Service, the Ministry of Economic Development, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, as well as legitimate drugmakers.