The Looming Crisis of Counterfeit Drugs in APAC: A Call for Collaboration
The pharmaceutical landscape is on the brink of a crisis, as the rise of counterfeit drugs has become a lucrative business for criminal syndicates, putting the health and lives of unsuspecting patients on the line. Despite strict practices and law enforcement in place to tighten supply chain security, this darker side still resides in the world of healthcare – with World Health Organisation (WHO) reporting more than 1 million deaths per year due to them.
These numbers threaten to escalate and may even spiral out of control. Ramesh Raj Kishore, Regional Director of Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI) in Asia Pacific, unpacks the topic by sharing that the focus lies on proactive measures: embracing cutting-edge technologies, fostering close ties with governing bodies and international organisations. These efforts will outline a valuable roadmap for navigating this complex terrain and ensure we do not lose sight of the imperative to keep falsified drugs out of the supply chain.
He delves into,
- The evolving nature of counterfeit drugs – from pill pressing or cardboard printing to AI and 3D printing, this technological leap broadens the avenues for drug diversion, making detection even more critical.
- The onus lies within regulatory and legislative bodies – the lack of standardisation across APAC, unlike the European Union, creates entryway for criminals to exploit, therefore aligning key priorities between developing and developed countries is paramount in keeping this under control!
- The use of technology – the boon and bane in the pharmaceutical industry so embrace it to stay at the forefront of the e-space where such illicit activities may arise!
- Strengthen trusts and relationships with supplier stakeholders and other agencies – working in silos is a futile, so joining forces and taking this a step further by signing Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) can be a strategic move in mitigating the rise of dangerous fakes out there!