/24-7PressRelease/ - ACCRA, Ghana, September 11, 2008 —To combat the increasing amounts of contraband and counterfeit drugs threatening public health, West African government officials, business leaders, and non-profit organizations gathered today for the Stakeholder Forum on Safe Medicines in Accra, Ghana. The Partnership for Safe Medicines, a coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to protecting consumers from counterfeit medicines, helped lead a discussion about how the region can work together to address this important health problem.
"If we want to avoid more deadly incidents both in West Africa and the United States, we must unify in the fight against counterfeit drugs, said Scott A. LaGanga, executive director of the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM). "Unscrupulous counterfeiters do not hesitate to use foreign, even toxic, materials in their products. Today's meeting is an opportunity to work together as a global community to address the vulnerabilities threatening the safety of our prescription drugs."
According to World Health Organization estimates, as much as 30 percent of medicines on sale in many African countries are counterfeit drugs. Counterfeit drug markets usually flourish in countries due to inadequate regulation and enforcement, poverty, and a lack of an official supply chain.
There are several, recent examples of counterfeit drug incidences in West Africa. Earlier this month, the pharmacy board in Sierra Leone destroyed stocks of fake, substandard, expired and counterfeit drugs collected from pharmacy outlets in many border towns. In Nigeria, government officials recently shut down about 11 illegal pharmacies and medicine shops, arresting six of the operators. According to news reports, the Lagos State Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drug and Unwholesome Processed Foods has arrested more than 500 illegal operators and closed more than 3,000 illegal premises within the last 12 months.
"In today's global environment, it doesn't matter if you live in the Americas, Europe, Asia or Africa—everyone is at risk from counterfeit drugs," continued LaGanga. "Counterfeit drugs are a global public health hazard that requires an international solution. All across the world, we are seeing more incidents of counterfeiting involving more types of drugs in more countries."
Headquartered in Virginia, PSM recently developed a set of drug safety principles to form the basis for a national strategy to strengthen the U.S. distribution system and curtail the criminal counterfeit drug trade. The principles are aimed to address the urgent need for progress in the fight against counterfeit drugs, encourage policymakers to enact stronger safety measures, and enable law enforcement to deal with problems at their source.
In addition to the Principles for Drug Safety, PSM offers several online resources to help consumers ensure the safety of their prescription drugs, including guides to safely purchasing medicines online and how to save money without compromising drug safety. To learn more about why counterfeit drugs are unsafe at any cost, visit SafeMedicines.org.
About the Partnerships for Safe Medicines
The Partnership for Safe Medicines is a group of organizations and individuals that have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or contraband medicines. To join us in our stand against counterfeit drugs or obtain a copy of the Principles for Drug Safety, please visit http://www.SafeMedicines.org.
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