PSM Board Members Attend APEC Life Science Innovation Forum
Partnership for Safe Medicines represented the medicine safety community worldwide at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Life Science Innovation Forum on Detection Technology in Beijing, China in September.
The Life Science Innovation Forum (LSIF) is APEC’s leading initative on health and health sciences innovation, engaging government, industry and academia to improve life sciences innovation policies.
Partnership for Safe Medicines Board executive director Scott LaGanga found the forum an opportunity to reach out to Chinese stakeholders towards developing a Partnership for Safe Medicines affiliate in China. Additionally, board member Tom Kubic, President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Security Institute, participated in a panel that discussed the value of public-private partnerships in raising public awareness of unsafe medicines, including counterfeits and substandard ones.
Partnership for Safe Medicines India founder Bejon Misra provided the keynote address on the challenges and solutions India has found since PSM India launched in December of 2010.
Said LaGanga, “I was heartened to hear of the tremendous progress made by the Chinese and their commitment to combating these products, led by efforts of the NIFDC and the SFDA.
“This includes their successful Mobile Labs that are used across the country to collect, identify and test products, especially in rural areas that lack the technology.
“Most important during the conference proceedings was an acknowledgement that there is no single solution to the counterfeit issue but a collaborative effort is the only path forward. This shows the continued need for PSM efforts in China, the United States and all across the world.”