Issue 1- January 2010
Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign
Newsletter
KEEP IT REAL
On this issue...... Introductions ...........................................1 Recent ACDC News ...........................................2 ACDC- Ghana ...........................................4 The Committee Members ...........................................5
Introductions Hello fellow IPSFers! Welcome to the 1st Anti-Counterfeit Drugs Campaign (ACDC) Newsletter! Drug counterfeiting has developed into a serious and worrisome public health crisis around the world. Counterfeit drugs cause damage to the health of unsuspecting patients, in some cases, even death. Pharmacists, physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals play an important role in educating the public about the risks and dangers of counterfeit and substandard medicines. In response to this growing public health concern, IPSF launched the Anti-Counterfeit Drugs Campaign (ACDC) in 2007. The campaign aims to increase awareness among health care students and empower them with information about the threats of counterfeit and substandard medicines to public health. The ACDC sub-committee has been working extremely hard over the past 2 years to get this campaign off the ground. To date, the committee has created an Anti-Counterfeit Drugs Campaign booklet that describes the background factors, contributing to threats, and measures that have been taken to combat counterfeit medicines. Apart from that, the booklet also serves as a useful tool for IPSF members about running a successful campaign. The committee has also participated in a joint venture with the European Pharmaceutical Students’ Association (EPSA) to run an Anti-Counterfeit workshop at the EPSA Annual Assembly in October 2009. In this newsletter, you will read about Ghana’s successful campaign on Drug Safety and Health Awareness, snapshots of recent articles relating to counterfeit medicines and meet the ACDC co-ordinators! I hope that you will enjoy this very FIRST edition of the ACDC Newsletter! Sincerely, Melissa Teo ACDC Committee Co-ordinator
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Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign Newsletter
Issue 1: January 2010
Recent ACDC News Snapshots of Articles International Policy Network: Fake Scare about Fake Drugs by Philip Stevens and Julian Harris, IP Watch UK, 16 Dec 2009 ‘Recent customs seizures by some European Union members of Indian-made generic drugs en route to Latin America have caused uproar amongst development non-governmental organisations (NGOs) like Oxfam. They claim the EU is using the problem of counterfeit drugs as a pretext to protect the intellectual property of its pharmaceutical industry over the interests of patients in poor countries who need more affordable options. These claims were unsubstantiated and the issue was blown out of proportions. According to EU figures, there were 3,207 seizures in 2008 of which 93% were concerned with suspected trademark infringement – i.e. counterfeits. Meanwhile, in the final months of 2008, EU customs seized 34 million fake pills, including 1.6m fake painkillers and 600,000 fake anti-malarials in one haul at Brussels airport alone. There are very good reasons for seizing fakes that break a trademark. Trademarks are there to protect consumers and are only achieved by manufacturing products of a consistently high quality. The ‘Keeping It Real’ study, undertaken by IP Watch UK, found that over 700,000 people die each year due to fake malaria and TB drugs. Many fakes originated from India. The reputation of Indian generics has sunk so low that Nigeria, Uganda and Libya have blacklisted certain companies. Thus, in this context, EU customs authorities performed a vital public service to developing countries by checking transiting consignments of Indian and Chinese generic drugs for trademark infringements. When counterfeiters exploit trusted trademarks, it undermines the reputation of India’s entire pharmaceutical sector.’ The article questions why the activists are seeking to turn a legitimate health issue into an international trade spat over patents. Perhaps it is an effort to derail the India-EU free-trade agreement. However, the article continues to conclude that it would be disastrous if a trade agreement was undermined by false allegations of stifling Indian exports. For the full article, visit http://www.ip-watch.org/weblog/2009/12/15/international-policy-network-fakescare-about-fake-drugs/. Kenya’s Anti-Counterfeiting Agency starts operation By Phil Taylor, Securing Pharma, 09 Dec 2009 ‘Kenya’s new Anti-Counterfeit Agency (ACA) was officially inaugurated in early October. The agency comes under the auspices of the Ministry of Industrialisation and is charged with combating the trade in fake products. The agency will also administer Kenya’s recently enacted Anti-Counterfeit bill, which was implemented a year ago. It is given the power to destroy fake goods imported into the country in addition to investigating and arresting people who trade in them. The Industrialisation Minister, Henry Kosgey said that current estimates are that 30% of drugs circulating in Kenya are fake. The ACA will work closely with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and other national agencies to curb the counterfeit trade. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board came under fire recently for failing to take action against a number of Page 2
Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign Newsletter
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Recent ACDC News (Cont’d) companies importing counterfeit and substandard medicines into Kenya, having little visibility on the Kenyan trade in fakes and levying inadequate penalties on those found guilty of counterfeiting.’ For the full article, visit http://www.securingpharma.com/40/articles/312.php. . Give info on counterfeits, get rewarded By Kounteya Sinha, The Times of India, 23 July 2009 ‘In an attempt to tackle the menace of fake life-saving medicines, the Health Ministry of India has proposed a ‘whistle blower’ policy that will handsomely reward both the public and officers who inform and help seize counterfeit and substandard drugs, cosmetics and medical devices. Under the proposal, the reward will be given only when there is confirmation of the seizure of counterfeit drugs, cosmetics and medical devices by designated officers of Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO). This policy aims to involve the public to provide information on any kind of unlawful activity in the manufacture of drugs. Once the fake drugs are seized, the government will engage senior advocates to help punish the guilty. The cases will then be filed before designated special courts set up for the purpose of drug-related issues. According to health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Drugs and Cosmetics Act was amended providing for stricter penalties for offenses under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, particularly to those engaged in making of fake, adulterated, misbranded and substandard drugs. For the full article, visit http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Give-info-on-counterfeit-drugs-getrewarded/articleshow/4808600.cms.
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Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign Newsletter
Issue 1: January 2010
2009 DRUG SAFETY AND HEALTH AWARENESS CAMPAIGN in GHANA Compiled by George Attara Boye (National Health Coordinator, 2009)
The campaign was launched on Friday, 3rd July, 2009, at the Jubilee Park, Bolgatanga by the Regional Minister in person of Hon. Mark Woyongo after a spectacular address by him. The Launch was chaired by Hon. Ayamga H. Epsona, the Municipal Chief Executive of Bolgatanga Municipality The program was addressed by: 1. Bright Djan Danquah, President of GPSA, 2. Mr. Alhassan , Deputy Director, Regional Health Directorate In all, 150 student-volunteers made it for the campaign which included students from Ghana Pharmaceutical Students Association (GPSA), Ghana Herbal Medical Students Association (GHEMSA) University of Ghana Pharmacy Students’ Association (UGPSA) and four Student Pharmacists on exchange program from Universities across Europe and North America. CAMPAIGN METHODS The student-volunteers were divided into 7-10 groups according to the district’s request
among the districts in the region with the exception of Bawku Municipality. The groups were dispatched and conveyed to their designated districts, with the support of GPSA. In the respective districts, the volunteer groups arranged meetings with target audience, as identified in consultation with appropriate authorities such as the Traditional Leaders, District Assemblies, the District Health Administrations, District Education Directorates, and leaders of other organized groups. Target audiences addressed on the subject matter included the following: 1. Churches, mosques etc.; 2. Schools (Basic, Junior Secondary, and Senior Secondary Schools) 3. Hospital attendants/staff 4. Market women and men 5. Families in homes 6. Durbars organized in communities in some districts. 7. Use of Radio stations to address individuals, etc. The campaign groups engaged their audiences in discussions on rational drug use, including rational and irrational practices, the need to report adverse drug reactions to appropriate health-
care professionals and other issues peculiar to the particular audience. The people were given opportunity to ask questions, make suggestions, and provide specific cases regarding the subject matter. The measure of success depends not on what can be done but on what has been achieved. We believe an impact has been made in the Upper East region and perhaps a greater impact, had we received funds enough to accommodate all our students. Also we believe our students have familiarized themselves with the conditions and terrain in the region and will not hesitate to render their support when necessary with the motivation package attached. Thank you.
u A big thank yo SA to GPSA, GHEM is &UGPSA for th port! wonderful tre
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Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign Newsletter
Issue 1: January 2010
The Committee Members for 2008-09 (please note we are still in the process of electing a new Promotions Co-ordinator 2009-2010)
Name: Melissa Teo Country of Origin: Malaysia Position: ACDC Committee Co-ordinator 2008-10 What is your nickname? (Why?): Mel, Melly, Smell - numerous nicknames.. What are your duties on the committee?: Co-ordinate the whole ACDC committee so that we work together. Work closely with the Contents co-ordinator, Promotions co-ordinator and Publications co-ordinator. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?: I would love to be able to teleport. I dislike flying but as I’m currently living in Australia, having to travel back home to Malaysia or any other part of the world takes EXTRA long. So, if I could teleport, I would be able to teleport myself home everyday and to any country I want to get to without the hassle of boarding a plane, transiting and the LONG flights!
Name: Christine Cooper Country of Origin: United States Position: Contents Coordinator 2008-10 What is your nickname? (Why?): Frinckles - I have a spattering of freckles on me, but I couldn’t say freckles as a child. Instead I would say frinckles, and my Mom thought it was so cute that she nicknamed me it. What are your duties on the committee?: Writing! With everyone on the committee hailing from other regions of the world, compiling everyone’s work into a comprehensible, understandable document can be quite a task. Good thing writing is one of my favorite things to do! If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?: I would sign up to fly. I have logged well over a million miles in airplanes in the last 10 years, but I actually hate commercial airplanes. They are cramped, make my knees hurt from having to sit still for so long, and I cannot seem to get a decent nap on one. Getting to skip all that would be so very nice!
GO TEAMWORK!
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Anti-Counterfeit Drug Campaign Newsletter
Issue 1: January 2010
The Committee Members (Cont’d) Name: Jane Ai-Chen Ho Country of Origin: Taiwan, China Position: ACDC Promotional Coordinator 2008-09 What is your nickname? (Why?) Lion (because of my hair!) Tiger Lilly (Personality?!) What are your duties on the committee? Promoting the awareness of ACDC and come up with ideas on how to promote ACDC, not only to pharmacy students, but to all health care students around the world. If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why? I would like to have a power that could melt a bad persons’ heart and turn them into better people, because I imagine a world where we all love each other, there is no hatred, jealousy, everyone is at peace with each other! A perfect world! Its an ideal to keep in mind all the time. :)
Name: Sharon Leung Country of Origin: Canada Position: Publications Coordinator 2008-10 What is your nickname? (Why?): Sharebear - I have no idea why, but I come from a great line of bear family. ^_^ What are your duties on the committee?: Designing and putting together newsletters, bookmarks, posters and booklets for the campaign! It combines my designing hobbies with public health! Best job ever! If you could have a superpower, what would it be and why?: I would like to have the ability to spread happiness and make everyone smile. It makes me happy that people are happy and healthy. So keep smiling!
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