Rx-360 Applauds US Department of Justice Move to Stop Illegal Medicines

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Apr 09, 2015, 03:16 ET

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The US Department of Justice has recently taken actions to stop the introduction of illegal medicines into the US pharmaceutical supply chain. The indictment of a pharmacy owner and a guilty plea by an oncologist who had been dispensing drugs obtained from abroad represent the latest actions in the fight against fake medicines.

Falsified medicines are a growing global problem – up 41% over the last 5 years ago, and in the last year alone amounting to more than 2054 pharmaceutical crime incidents. Sub-standard anti-malarials have been shown to be a key driver of parasite resistance in South-East China. Sub-standard antibiotics are one of the causes why bacteria develop resistance. In certain African countries, one in every 2 medicines has been falsified. Approximately every 10 years, acute toxicity events turn into well documented tragedies in which hundreds die as bad medicines find their way into pharmacies because of criminals' greed.

Protecting patients from falsified drugs is one of the problems that motivate pharmaceutical manufacturers and their suppliers to work collaboratively to find ways to secure the supply chain. No other topic gets industry, NGOs and regulatory authorities to work together as closely. Patient associations, big pharma, generic producers, suppliers from India and China, the FBI, FDA, the Department of Justice, and so many others around the globe are unlikely allies that fight against falsified pharmaceuticals and pharmaceutical crime. These organizations are gathering in Washington DC on 2-3 June for Rx-360's 1st annual conference – "Fighting Fakes".

"As we gather NGOs, industry and regulatory authorities together, we break new ground and show how unlikely allies can work effectively to stop criminals from profiting off the weak and trusting. Right now we are still losing the battle. Across the world patients everywhere are at risk from these crimes. More needs to be done as organised crime finds pharmaceuticals to be a profitable business that receives little attention from police forces and which the general public ignores" – said Guy Villax, Chair, Rx-360.

"Rx-360's 1st Annual Conference will provide a unique forum for stakeholders within the Pharmaceutical supply chain to share information and enhance processes and practices related to ensuring the integrity and quality of materials within the healthcare supply chain," stated Rob Welsh, Co-Chair of Rx-360 Supply Chain Steering Committee. "Industry collaboration fostered by Rx-360 is critical to ensure that patients receive the safe and effective medicines they expect and deserve."

To find out more about Rx-360's 1^st Annual Conference – Fighting Fakes in Washington DC, click here.

To read previous Rx-360 articles about this case and the DOJ investigation, click here.

To read the entire DOJ press release, click here.

About Rx-360:
Rx-360, an international pharmaceutical supply chain consortium, was formed in 2009 to support an industry-wide commitment to ensuring patient safety by enhancing quality and authenticity throughout the supply chain. The organization's mission is to protect patient safety by sharing information and developing processes related to the integrity of the healthcare supply chain and the quality of materials within the supply chain. To fulfill this mission, Rx-360 has workstreams related to: conduction and sharing of audits, supply chain security, monitoring and reporting, Asia-focused efforts, supplier-focused efforts, and external relations, communications, and membership. To learn more about Rx-360, please visit www.Rx-360.org or email [email protected].

SOURCE Rx-360