Last week, CSIP participated on panels at the Global Forum on Access to Safe Medicines in London. The workshops and speakers focused on ways to make access to prescription medications safer worldwide. As highlighted at the Forum, the need for global cooperation is evident, and CSIP is proud to be contributing to international efforts.

Over the past decade,  and as more consumers use the Internet to buy personal goods, there has been increasing concern for the prevalence of illegitimate online pharmacies and counterfeit medicines.  CSIP members have come together to increase public awareness and to protect consumers; however, the problem still persists and appears to be on the rise in certain parts of the world.

We continue to share the numbers:  in the United States 1 in 6 people have purchased illegitimate medicines (Partnership at Drugfree.org), and 97% of online drug seller sites are operating in violation of applicable laws (National Association of Boards of Pharmacy and LegitScript). But in some parts of the world the numbers (and death rates) are worse. 

The issues are complex, especially in areas such as Europe when dealing with differing country laws (e.g., online sales of medicines is illegal in Italy, but legal in the UK).  Our partner organization, ASOP EU, has been working towards cross-border solutions and regulations by law, but that alone won’t solve the problem.

Making the Internet safer is no easy task, and CSIP can’t do it alone. Our focus is on consumer education and information sharing among members; however, our reach can be greater with more collaboration with companies globally. Everyone has a role to play: public and non-profit sectors, governments, law enforcement and NGOs.  We can help create change though voluntary action, education and collaboration.

CSIP representative at the Global Forum event Katie Shorey (second from right) is joined by (from left to right) Mike Isles, Executive Director, ASOP EU; Lynda Scammell, Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, UK; Domenico Di Giorgia, Italian Medicines Agency; Libby Baney, Executive Director, ASOP; Tony Butcher, Managing Director, Tribiq; Jim Thomson, Chair, European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines; and Mario Ottiglio, Director, Public Affairs & Global Health Policy, IFPMA

_____

The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 13 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. Continue to read this blog for updates on CSIP’s education, enforcement and information-sharing efforts.

This item was highlighted in CSIP’s May 2014 newsletter.