Commission Wants To Secure Whole Distribution Chain

摘要

Among the key proposals of the 'medicines package' expected by the end of the month, the fight against counterfeiting of pills figures in prime position. The phenomenon now also affects the EU and no longer just developing countries, which are nonetheless more greatly concerned. Recent figures from the European Commission report more than two million counterfeit medicines seized by European customs in 2006, an increase of 384% in comparison to 2005. Its objective: secure the distribution chain, as it has been forcibly encouraging the phannaceutical industry to do for many years. But this problem is also linked, for laboratories at least, with their struggling against parallel trade in medicines. The activity of the parallel trade merchants is based on price differences and the free movement of goods in the EU. This point may be the focus of the debate, knowing parallel trade represents a saving over the price of medicine for the patient and therefore for the member state which refunds the cost.