Role of Generic Medicines on the Proliferation of Counterfeit Medicines
by Olav Hansen ConsultantBecause of the lack of resources
on some developing countries, most people resort to generic medicines which
cost less than branded drugs. Moreover, many third world nations have no
capacities and capabilities for pharmaceutical manufacturing which forces even
authorities to allow generic copies of medicines to penetrate the market.
Generic competition is one of the driving factors on the cost and quality
reduction in many countries.
As defined by the Peterson Group, non-profit
organization campaigning against proliferation of counterfeit medicines,
generic medicines are pharmaceutical copies of drugs which are manufactured
without license from the innovator companies and marketed after the expiry date
of the patented or other exclusive rights. It is public obligation that the
government provides affordable and legitimate medicine functions, however, with
the incapability to find good resources, many governments fail in this respect.
Generic medicines are not
entirely fraudulent per se but are mostly substandard. Nonetheless, the threat can still be bona
fide with what many health professions fear of: circumvention of health
regulation, undercutting public confidence, and potentially providing a
comparatively easy source of income to criminal elements.
Firstly, health regulations are
mostly underrated on generic pharmacies starting from the fact that issuance of
prescription are often ignored and neglected. Added to this fact is that
generic pharmacies often employ unlicensed pharmacists who do not have enough
knowledge on medical terminologies and lexicons.
The second main concern of
authorities is that generic pharmacies may undercut public confidence. Faith
and trust placed on medicine for safety and proper health treatment
implementation is put into question. Even branded medicines being sold in
generic pharmacies are doubted to be substandard.
Furthermore, patronization to
legitimate medicines has dropped dramatically in the recent years. According to reviews, the cost
and effectiveness of genuine medicines are discarded as mere marketing stance
by most pharmaceutical companies as loyalties shift to generics which cost less
and promise the same effects.
Lastly, generic medicines pave an
easier way for criminal counterfeiting.
Recent seizures of drug shipments
in one of the hidden ports in outer Jakarta area in Indonesia have sparked
concern that efforts to control counterfeits are a smokescreen to curb the sale
of generics in the archipelago. Officials claimed generic drugs were
counterfeit, placing efforts to adopt and enforce anti-counterfeit legislation
in domestic laws as well as in bilateral and multilateral agreements into
jeopardy.
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Created on Dec 31st 1969 18:00. Viewed 0 times.