[Ip-health] PharmaTimes- One in five Europeans buying fake drugs - Pfizer survey

[Terri - Louise Beswick]

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One in five Europeans buying fake drugs - Pfizer survey
16 February 2010
A major survey has estimated that the counterfeit medicines market in
Europe is worth more than 10.5 billion euros per year.

Described as one of the largest investigations of its kind, the
'Cracking Counterfeit Europe' research commissioned by Pfizer, and
carried out by market researcher Nunwood, claims that putting a value on
the size of the European counterfeit medicines market has been
difficult. However, the drug giant's analysis shows how one in five of
the 14,000 people surveyed (in 14 European countries), equating to 77
million people in the total population, admitted to buying
prescription-only medicines from illicit sources.

Almost half of the fake drugs bought on the net were weight-loss
treatments, followed by prescription treatments for influenza and
erectile dysfunction pills. According to the research, the main reasons
people go online to access medicines is to save time and money, with
nearly a third of those surveyed (33%) doing so because it is quick and
convenient and 39% wanting to cut down on costs. The report follows a
statement made at the end of 2009 by Gunter Verheugen, vice president of
the European Commission, that 34 million fake tablets had been seized on
the continent's borders in just two months.

Pfize's study adds that the number of counterfeit drugs uncovered at EU
borders has increased from 560,598 articles in 2005 to 4,081,056 in
2007. The company's UK medical director David Gillen noted that 23% of
those surveyed "do not acknowledge that taking prescription-only
medicines without a prescription is a risky activity" but 71% said if
they thought the medicines could be fake, "this would impact the
likelihood of them purchasing".

He added that this points to "a clear need for greater public awareness
and education. People are not only unaware of the very real dangers of
counterfeit medicines, but also that they're fuelling an illegal and
harmful criminal market." This view was echoed by Jim Thomson, chair of
the European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines, said the research
"shows quite clearly that an alarming number of people are risking their
health by opting out of the healthcare system. When they do that...they
stand an extremely good chance of receiving a fake".

By Kevin Grogan

http://www.pharmatimes.com/WorldNews/article.aspx?id=17403