COUNTERFEIT DRUGS
Counterfeit drugs?” How big is the problem?
Who has the answers!!!!!!!!!!
Healthcare International were asked this question by some of our clients, if we knew much about counterfeit drugs, our truthful answer was “nothing” which, as curious people made us begin to think.
What would be your answer???
From this simple question began many months of research through the internet, and talking to people within government drug agencies and auxiliary business’s through the drug supply chain, we very quickly came to realize that counterfeiting of drugs and the distribution of said drugs, is big business and is a worldwide problem.
Much of the information and statistics quoted on line makes for shocking and disturbing reading. As you delve deeper into the subject it becomes clearer that there is an illegal trade going on within the healthcare industry that most of us take no notice of.
Healthcare International hopes to show over the following months an unbiased view of this insidious and destructive trade, and the work that is going on worldwide to try and stem the tide of a growing problem.
We also ask the question; “Why do Pharmaceutical companies refuse to answer letters or emails regarding this subject?” they do their reputations no good by ignoring the public and their worries. Within our magazine we would have liked to show the public and the healthcare industry what investment in time and money the Pharmaceutical companies devote to help combat this problem. Out of all the Pharmaceutical companies Healthcare International tried to contact only 1 (Novartis) would speak to us in an open and frank discussion.
HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL are asking the
BIG QUESTIONS.
Counterfeit drugs can and do kill, there are no other technical terms for it, its criminal murder.
Statistics, gathered from whatever source you care to mention, allow you to interpret them in whatever way you wish, but one death a year due to this despicable trade is one death too many. Medicines are meant to assist you on the road to recovery from an illness and finally help to cure you, not kill you.
It’s murder, perpetrated by faceless moneymakers
They have no humanitarian thoughts; counterfeiters do not reproduce these products to sell to those with little or no money in their pockets or developing countries as an altruistic act. They do it because however little money you do have to pay for medication, they want it regardless of consequences.
We are at present putting together a series of articles on COUNTERFEIT DRUGS, which we intend to feature in our magazine throughout 2008.
Some of the Questions we will be asking are:-
What happens after we purchase our travel insurance, and we are unfortunately taken ill whilst on holiday if we are admitted to a Hospital or transferred by an Air Ambulance to a hospital in a country thousands of miles from home, how can we be certain that we will not be given counterfeit drugs?
Can the same be said if we attend our local Health Centre for treatment that is just 2 minutes walk from our own homes?
How, do Counterfeit drugs get into the supply chain! What is the cost to the Pharmaceutical Companies?
What, are the Governments of the world doing about the problem! Are there communications between countries,Government Ministries? Is it safer to receive drugs in the European Union against non European Union Countries?
Now that more Free Trade areas are being encouraged with less border controls how do Customs tackle this growing problem?
When criminals/counterfeit rings are caught, what laws and penalties are in place to punish the perpetrators of these crimes?
How should we all?
Support the creation of new concepts for cooperation and financing, to establish an international forum where all aspects of the problem are discussed seriously and new standards can be developed, to continually fight this global problem.
If you would like to enter into dialogue and debate on this major worldwide issue let HEALTHCARE INTERNATIONAL via our magazine pages and website be your voice.
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