Pfizer calls for counterfeit medicines push

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has hailed a European Commission warning about the sale of fake medicines and called for a major push to counteract the problem.

Earlier this week the commission’s vice president, Gunter Verheugen, said the scale of the counterfeit chemicals sold over the internet was steadily growing.

“I am alarmed at the ever increasing number of counterfeit medicines sold via the internet. This represents a real danger to the health of patients,” he cautioned.

Now Pfizer has called on the EC to tackle internet sales of fake drugs and also to stamp out illegitimate products on sale through traditional channels.

“Pfizer is very concerned about the surge in counterfeit medicines, putting at risk the lives and wellbeing of patients in Europe and elsewhere,” said Pfizer’s European director Julian Mount.

“However, illegal internet trade is just one part of the story. Counterfeits have also made it into the legitimate medicines supply chain in Europe.”

In the last five years 170 counterfeit medicines have been identified in illegal distribution channels in the EU member states, including the UK.

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