The Falsified Medicines Directive is set to have a considerable effect on pharmaceutical manufacturers. Craig Stobie, lifesciences sector manager, Domino Printing Sciences, looks at the major areas of impact.
The battle against counterfeit and fake medicines is an ongoing one, and the scale of the problem is growing. This is mirroring the growth of a global pharma market riding a wave of expansion, particularly in Asia, where consumers are enjoying higher disposable incomes. According to the WHO, up to 25% of medicines sold in developing countries are counterfeit, reaping earnings in excess of US$32bn (€23bn); other estimates value the worldwide market for illegal drugs at $75–$200bn (€54–€144bn). The human costs are also high: counterfeit medicines are thought to kill more than 100,000 people annually, most of them in poorer countries.
Of equal concern is the opinion held by some in the pharma industry that current strategies to tackle the problem do not go far enough: according to research by Pfizer and the International Pharmaceutical Federation, 63% of pharmacists in Europe, the US and Australia believe this.
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