Strategizing for Safety from Counterfeit Drugs
On April 6, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a summary of negotiations that have taken place since the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was introduced in June 2008. Countries from across the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland, have joined the ACTA to help governments combat the harmful manufacture and distribution of fake goods, such as counterfeit drugs.
On April 6, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) released a summary of negotiations that have taken place since the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) was introduced in June 2008. Countries from across the world, including the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea and Switzerland, have joined the ACTA to help governments combat the harmful manufacture and distribution of fake goods, such as counterfeit drugs.
Strategies outlined in the ACTA touch upon many of the principles that the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) suggests in the Principles for Drug Safety, such as securing our supply chain through international cooperation, enforcing stronger penalties against offenders and protecting of our borders through strict, rigorous regulatory oversight of manufacturers and distributors of counterfeit products. With continuing negations, such as those highlighted in ACTA, we are one step closer to safeguarding consumers from harmful contraband or counterfeit drugs. However, there is still much to be done in terms of protecting our pharmaceutical supply chain. For more information on combating counterfeit drugs, visit www.safemedicines.org.