Ireland facing fake medicine threat

Irish Examiner
October 27, 2007
By Claire O’Sullivan

The Irish pharmaceutical distribution chain is wide open to infiltration by fake pharmaceutical manufacturers, according to a leading British security expert.

For the second time this year, the Irish Patients’ Association (IPA) has called on the Department of Health to establish a task force on counterfeit medicine as the threat from rogue factories in Asia and Europe is growing more dangerous every year. This industry is now worth €35 billion globally. Author of A Sick Business: Counterfeit Medicine and Organised Crime, former detective superintendent Graham Satchwell said that counterfeit medicine seizures have risen four-fold in the past year to 350.

He warned that fake cancer, cardiac and anti-depressant drugs are all being sold directly to the customer on the internet and by rogue manufacturers hoping to target pharmacists.

“They are packaged very convincingly and could easily find their way into the distribution chain of high street pharmacists, chemists or hospitals. All you need is a corrupt element who see a way to make money,” he said.

The IPA outlined its fears about counterfeit medicine at a seminar in Dublin yesterday where they published a European-wide study: What Should be Done About Counterfeit Medicines? Up to 300,000 patients from diabetes, heart and Alzheimer’s advocacy groups took part in the research.

One in five of the 236 groups surveyed confirmed they had received reports of unauthorised medicines from their members.

IPA Chairman Stephen McMahon said: “The problem of fake medicines is not going away. It is only getting worse and it poses a genuine danger to Ireland.

Worryingly, this report includes an Irish respondent, a 50-year-old man, who had purchased his epilepsy medication from an

Irish pharmacy which his doctor then deemed to be an inferior medication after he had his first epileptic fit in eight years, and his levels were found to be below the preferred therapeutic level. He changed his medication and his blood levels returned to normal levels.”

Mr McMahon also cited a study carried out by Together4Health and supported by Pfizer Healthcare Ireland.

It showed 80% of those surveyed believe pharmacists should not be allowed to buy wholesale medicines from any source they choose. Sixty per cent felt chemists should only deal with accredited suppliers.

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