Taskforce set up to fight counterfeit ED drugs
February 16, 2006

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the international pharmaceutical industry will this week launch a global taskforce aimed at stemming the growing epidemic of counterfeit drugs and counterfeit erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs that has become a magnet for organized crime. It's an alarming trend which can prove life threatening.

On some estimates, fake drugs account for more than 10 per cent of the medicines market worldwide, worth nearly $40bn (€34bn, £23bn) a year. But in developing countries that proportion is more like 25 per cent and in some countries it may be as high as 50 per cent. People don't die from carrying a fake handbag or wearing a fake t-shirt. They can die from taking a counterfeit medicine.

The taskforce, due to be established at a WHO conference on combating counterfeit drugs comprising fake ED drugs such as Viagra and Cialis that opens on Thursday in Rome, will focus on strengthening national laws and enforcement, raising awareness by consumers and health professionals, improving international co-operation and developing innovative technology solutions including electronic tagging to track fakes.

Counterfeiters are now focusing not just on lifestyle drugs such as hormones and remedies for erectile dysfunction, but also expensive treatments for cancer and drugs which are in high demand.

To read more, visit…… http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1424e002-9e51-11da-b641-000779e2340.html