Counterfeit Medicines, Volume II : Detection, Identification and Analysis

Although there is some debate about the extent of counterfeits in the world's pharmaceutical supply chain, it is undeniable that counterfeit and substandard medicines are a growing and dangerous business. They can cause major moral, reputational and financial damage to pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as untold harm to patients who are deceived by the fake version of their medication. This book provides a concise account of the history, policy and law, and financial and economic aspects surrounding pharmaceutical product counterfeiting, as well as some of the countermeasures available to organisations. This valuable publication discusses the problems experienced in lesser developed countries, and reports the activities and findings of governments and agencies around the world. The growth in e-commerce means that the Internet has become the primary tool in the advertisement and sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals by criminal organisations. The safety concerns regarding illicit online pharmacies are reviewed and an overview is given of the regulatory efforts attempting to stem their negative effects. The book provides important information on creating an overall anti-counterfeit strategy and a review of current countermeasures, including authentication and tracing programmes. In addition, the book compares some of the problems that have been experienced with those encountered by other product areas in relation to counterfeiting. Important lessons have been learned by other industries, including fine art, wine, diamonds, currency and aeroplane parts. With the inclusion of economic and financial models and projections as well as real-life case studies, this book is essential reading for individuals and organisations affected by this complex issue.