The Struggles of Manufacturers to the Widespread of Counterfeit Medicines

by Olav Hansen Consultant

In 2012, bevacizumab, a drug which is currently used to cure tumor has been reviewed to have components of chalk. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) immediately sent out warnings to hospitals and clinics of possible the possible taint. It was then found out that for many years, doctors has been prescribing the drug which contains either chalk or cornstarch. In Jakarta, Indonesia and Bangkok, Thailand, FDA even found out that there are a number of bevacizumab which has no effective ingredient at all.

Three years had passed and there is no exact improvement in fighting off the widespread of counterfeit medicines. The Peterson Group, a non-profit organization campaigning against the proliferation of counterfeit medicines returned to Jakarta to review the status of medicine industry in the city. Although the hospitals and clinics have been more cautious of the supply of medicines coming in and out of their facilities, there are still instances which they cannot assure the distribution of these fraudulent medicines in drug stores and markets. The control may not already be in their hands but on the legal action taken by the manufacturers themselves.

Pfizer, Sanofi and other large companies are doing their own investigations on the deadly medicines. They reason out that other mediocre manufacturers may not have the proper tools to tag their own products let alone make their own move against counterfeiting. Technologies which have the capability to trace, scan and analyze a product are still costly which a lot of manufactures cannot procure. The end result may lead to total foreclosure because of the fall of business.

Large companies are lucky enough to have the means for a total and more focused analysis on the competitive counterfeit products. However, they face a different dilemma and conflict with the local government they are working with. The investigations may not be totally transparent since the public power itself has strict political agenda that may hinder the cause.

The following are the key factors that make the campaign against counterfeiting incongruous with the authorities:

1. Inadequate Legislation and enforcement

Albeit the pure cause and the high probability of crime, some nations have lax security system and inadequate, sometimes vague legislations regarding counterfeiting. Counterfeiters may sometimes have a low risk of punishment

2. Insufficient Penal Sanctions

Despite the best efforts of manufacturers to take into custody, perhaps put in life imprisonment, those who are involved in these fraudulent acts, the penalty system for counterfeiting may be too sloppy to be feared.

3. Lack of awareness among health professionals and consumers

Civilians and other individuals may not have any tools or proper education system to detect and determine counterfeited medicines.