PSM Announces 2012 Guardian Award Winner
United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) Honored for Excellence, Achievement in Fighting Counterfeit Drug Sellers
Washington, D.C. (September 27, 2012) – The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) today announced the recipient of the Guardian Award, given annually to the individual or organization who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the fight to stop counterfeit medicines.
The 2012 Guardian Award goes to the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the United Kingdom’s regulatory body for medicines and medical devices.
At a ceremony held in Washington, D.C. on the eve of PSM’s Interchange conference, PSM President Dr. Marvin Shepherd said, “In recognition of MHRA’s tireless work to protect patients from the dangers of illegal drug sellers, the Partnership for Safe Medicines is extremely pleased to present MHRA with this year’s Guardian Award. A global problem demands a global solution, and MHRA stands at the forefront of both enforcement and education. We are proud to stand shoulder to shoulder with MHRA in the fight against counterfeit medicines, and look forward to continuing our partnership into the future.”
MHRA Director of Inspection, Enforcement and Standards Gerald Heddell, receiving the award on behalf of MHRA said, “This is an excellent achievement for the MHRA and we are very pleased that our focus on tackling counterfeit medicines to help protect the public has been recognised. The MHRA takes its public health protection role very seriously and investigates all reports where there is a suspicion that medicines legislation is being breached. In the last five years, the MHRA has seized £34 million of medicines that were being supplied illegally in the UK, all of which may have presented a risk to the public.”
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