Policy/Enforcement News
Bargain Hunters Can’t Outsmart the Fake Medicine Criminals
Fox News conducted a question and answer session with experts in medicine about the real risks and dangers to consumers from counterfeit medicines in the market. With a nod to PSM’s 2010 Interchange, Fox quoted Dr. Margaret Hamburg’s keynote speech at the Interchange: “In some parts of the world, somewhere between 30% and 50% of…
[...]Sen. Vitter’s Proposed Amendment Raises Drug Safety Concerns
[The Senate is marking up the House's Agricultural Appropriations Bill (HR 2112). They are considering an amendment (#769) proposed by Senator Vitter which would allow for drug importation. The Partnership for Safe Medicines sent this letter to all members of the Senate today to urge them to oppose importation.] Dear Senator, As a public health group…
[...]Researchers Show Fake Medicine Spammers Infiltrating Twitter
A new study by the University of Akron shows Twitter is a new forum for spammers to reach potential clients in counterfeit medicine scams. Say researchers Chandra Shekar, Kathy J. Liszka, and Chien-Chung Chan, “Spammers have pounced on this new opportunity for a fast and dishonest dollar, disseminating pornography, fake lotteries, fake inheritances, counterfeit watches,…
[...]PSM Executive Director Headlines Brazil Counterfeit Medicines Forum
PSM Executive Director Scott LaGanga joined public and private sector leaders from across Brazil today to discuss the critical need to address the growing and borderless counterfeit medicines epidemic, an issue that Brazilian Justice Minister José Eduardo Cardozo called “one of the most important to Brazilian society.”
The event, hosted by Interfarma and O Globo, featured the Brazilian Institute of Public Opinion and Statistics (IBOPE) release of a national opinion survey which found that more education is needed to ensure that consumers are informed of the dangers associated with counterfeit medicines.
According to the survey, nearly 30 percent of Brazilian consumers do not verify if a prescribed or over-the-counter medicine is still within its due date. More than half “ignore the security seal.”
“By no means is this issue getting any easier to address,” said Scott LaGanga. “To be effective in the long-term, we need global collaboration on the part of both government and the private sector. Only then can we put our best foot forward in protecting millions of patients from the life-threatening risks associated with counterfeit drugs.”
IAPO Seminar in Manilla Raises Awareness of Unsafe Medications
The International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations (IAPO) conducted a seminar to build better understanding of patients needs in Pacific-Asia including the risks of counterfeit medications. “Patients should be the local leaders of a whole of society approach to tackling the pressing healthcare challenges of today,” announced IAPO at the seminar in Manilla, Philippines. The IAPO…
[...]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…
[...]Matheson and Bilbray Sponsor Counterfeit Medicine Bill
Congressmen Jim Matheson of Utah and Brian Bilbray of California have re-introduced a bill to improve authorities abilities to address the counterfeit medicine problem.
[...]US and Russian Health Orgs Pledge Cooperation Against Counterfeits
United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Development of the Russian Federation on September 22, 2011 to establish a process for the organizations to collaborate to improve drug quality internationally. At a signing ceremony in New York, Dr. V. I. Skvortsova, deputy minister of healthcare…
[...]Canadian Police Warn Residents of Counterfeit Medicines Sold Online
Newfoundland and Labrador police are warning local residents not to purchase medications from unlicensed online vendors. Says Royal Canadian Mounted Police Sgt Boyd Merrill, “The fake pill industry… has sales in the billions of dollars and people in Newfoundland and Labrador are getting scammed as much as the rest of the world,” reports the CBC…
[...]Partnership for Safe Medicines Interchange Speaker Announced: FDA’s Deborah Autor
Deborah Autor, Deputy Commissioner for Global Regulatory Operations and Policy for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, will speak at the 2nd annual Partnership for Safe Medicine’s Interchange on October 27, 2011, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. Autor leads a Directorate newly created in July 2011 which includes the Office of Regulatory…
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