‘Counterfeit drugs harming reputation of quality products’

KARACHI: Counterfeit drugs are damaging the reputation of quality products being produced by the pharmaceutical companies in Pakistan, Pharma Bureau said on Tuesday.
Executive Director Pharma Bureau Ayesha Tammy Haq said SMS verification, Serialisation, QR codes and colour shifting films are a few measures available to help combat counterfeiting in the pharmaceutical industry of Pakistan.
“Although, Pakistan has continued its efforts to advance IPR enforcement through raids, seizures and arrests, but there is no significant improvements in overall IPR protection,” said Ayesha.
She warned that Pakistan is on the US Priority Watch List and has not yet fully implemented the Intellectual Property Organization of Pakistan Act (IPO Act2012).
Moreover, Pakistan has yet to establish the specialized IP tribunals and an operational IPO Policy Board under the IPO Act.
It is pertinent to mention that according to FDA, up to 25 percent of all drugs consumed in poor countries are labelled counterfeit and substandard, while WHO states that up to 10 percent of the world’s pharmaceutical trade including 30 percent in developing countries, consists of fake medicines.
The problem of counterfeit drugs has resulted in direct loss to FDI, jobs and tax, while also discouraged Research and Development (R&D). “Countries such as Pakistan where enforcement laws are weak and counterfeiting is predominantly high, loss on FDI and technology transfers are a high cost to pay,” she added.
The absence of a formula to adjust drug prices annually since 2001, coupled with increases in raw materials and other manufacturing costs, together with the devaluation of the rupee have severely impacted the viability of the pharmaceutical industry in Pakistan, Ayesha said.
Majority of the companies are no longer manufacturing certain life-saving medicines, leading to acute shortages of essential drugs in the market. This shortage of drugs has further lead to counterfeit flood in the market, putting the lives of citizens at risk.
These shortages also result in smuggled drugs making their way into the domestic market. These smuggled drugs are then sold at exorbitant prices.
The executive director said enforcement of judicial process is necessary to ensure counterfeiters are punished in accordance with the law.
“There is a need of effective measures to control illegal parallel import as it increases the risk of counterfeit medicines,” the executive director said, “The distinction between counterfeit and sub-standard needs to be maintained and punishments must remain different for counterfeit, which is a very serious offence and could result in the loss of a life.”