The topic covered during the webinar "Falsification of Medicines: Clinical, Economic and Social Impact," which will take place in virtual mode on June 23 at 11:30 a.m., investigates the dangerous process of drug falsification, an illegal and rapidly expanding phenomenon in the world.
In recent years, world and national institutions, including WHO, FDA, EMA and ISS, have placed particular attention on this case involving both branded and generic drugs, with the aim of ensure greater authenticity and traceability of these products. In Italy, in the three-year period 2014-2017 alone, AIFA, Carabinieri and Guardia di Finanza seized 2.4 million packages of falsified drugs while the Ministry of Health has a search engine for subjects / entities authorized to trade medicines online.
Falsified drugs can be different in the package, do not contain the active ingredient or do not ensure the declared dosage, have toxic excipients or contaminants, or active ingredients not declared on the label or not authorized. Production takes place in unsuitable places, without respecting hygiene and conservation rules, without adequate controls. These factors lead to the production of drugs of poor quality and safety, which can cause toxic and irreversible effects on the body, causing high costs for the health service.
Particular attention should then be paid to drugs against erectile dysfunction which, according to the AIFA report of 2018, constitute over 60% of the total drugs seized nationally.
The webinar, organized by Educom with the unconditional support of IBSA, was born with the aim of making a point on the phenomenon of drug falsification and, thanks to the participation of some of the leading experts and specialists in the field of health, to deepen the details of this growing trend and raise awareness on the issue by also addressing possible effective prevention strategies.
