Unfortunately today’s Internet technology is opening opportunities for drug counterfeiters to make incredible amounts of money. Selling counterfeit expired or otherwise unsafe medicines has become a very profitable enterprise and a key driver for improved and traceable pharmaceutical packaging.
A few facts about this important issue:
• Counterfeit drugs make up more than 10% of the global medicines market (Source: FDA).
• In poor and underdeveloped nations up to 25% of the medicines consumed are counterfeit (Source: World Health Organization).
• Estimated annual earnings from the sale of counterfeit drugs is $32 Billion (Source: World Health Organization)
• “Because the capabilities of counterfeiters continue to evolve rapidly there is no single “magic bullet” technology that provides any long-term assurance of drug security. However a combination of rapidly improving “track and trace” technologies and product authentication technologies should provide a much greater level of security for drug products in the years ahead.” (Source: FDA).
• “The diverters pave the way for counterfeiters who use pill-punching machines and special inks to produce near-perfect copies of the most popular and expensive drugs.” (Source: The Washington Post October 19 2003).
See the story that goes with this sidebar: Traceable Solutions for Medical Packaging
For more information please go to www.autobag.com
