Panel 3: Xuanhao Chan, International Pharmaceutical Federation
Bejon Misra, Founder of Partnership for Safe Medicines India, moderated the third panel, "The Role of Patients & Healthcare Professionals." Misra began the session by showing a video that highlights the work of PSM India. Misra began by distributing tokens of appreciation from the Board of PSM India to the Board of Partnership for Safe Medicines, saying that PSM India was founded a year ago with the technical support of PSM.
Panelist Xuanhao Chan, on behalf of the International Pharmaceutical Federation and the World Health Professional Alliance, spoke first with the panel.
The World Health Professional Alliance reviewed 24 national initatives combating counterfeit medicines. Of the 24 countries reviewed, only six had a defined national structure and scope of work to combating counterfeit medicines. Fifteen had a limited collaboration to combat counterfeits.
Healthcare professional are very unsure of their role in fighting counterfeit medications. Often they are not educated or informed about their potential roles by government, and are therefore not on the forefront of medicine counterfeit recognition.
WHPA is mandated to strengtehn advocacy for appropriate investments in education of health care professionals to detect, report and prevent counterfeit medicines.
WHPA's Call to Action in Africa, Central America and Asia has four key strategies for the basis of a comprehensive regional action plan.
- Increase capacity of healthcare professionals
- Foster regional cooperation initiatives
- Strengthen collaborative practice
- Improve collaboration with health and enforcement authorities