Tech needed to curb counterfeit drugs

Phoney internet pharmacies are driving the massive counterfeit medicine market to consumers worldwide, according to a recent report released today by Cambridge Consultants.

The report calls for urgent action to educate consumers and for improved regulatory standards to address this growing public health threat associated with counterfeit medicine.

In addition the report makes recommendations on technology solutions that businesses can use to address global drug counterfeiting.

“Although there has been some debate around the size of the worldwide counterfeit medicine market that has been estimated at $75 billion and upward, one cannot dispute that the unregulated growth of internet pharmacies will only contribute to this problem,” said Rainuka Gupta, group manager of medical technologies at Cambridge Consultants.

“Our research concluded that this presents a dual threat to consumers and the industry alike. Easier access to cheaper drugs has exposed consumers to dangerous mixes of fake drugs and placebos.”

He added: “As an industry, we need to better educate consumers on the threats associated with fake drugs, but we also must work together to coordinate and implement technologies that can detect and deter counterfeiters”

The problem is particularly acute in Africa and Southeast Asia where the World Health Organisation has estimated that about 50% of medicines could be fake.

In 2009, the US Customs and Border Protection Agency stated that the value of seizures of counterfeit pharmaceuticals had increased by 500% over the previous three years.

Despite increased efforts to stop the flow of counterfeit medicine, the growth of internet pharmacies has exacerbated the issue and put consumers at further risk.

According to LegitScript, which monitors web sites that facilitate the sale of prescription drugs, approximately 97% of the nearly 50,000 pharmacy websites in its database do not meet their standards for being verified as a legitimate pharmacy.

Copies of the white paper can be requested by registering at Cambridge Consultants.