In an advice published today, the Council of Europe’s MEDICRIME Committee sets out 13 measures to prevent and combat the presence of counterfeit vaccines on the market, including vaccines that misrepresent their identity and/or source, as well as the diversion of legally produced vaccines from the legal supply chain.
Reports of seizures of counterfeit vaccines continue to rise alongside the ever-increasing number of licenced Covid-19 vaccines, warn European experts, who call for preventive measures to be implemented in cooperation with the relevant sectors to strengthen the supply chain, ensure the authenticity of the vaccines and reinforce vaccine waste disposal arrangements.
They warn of the danger of products available online and stress both the importance of training competent officials within the public services (customs, police, justice system) and the urgency of conducting public awareness campaigns, particularly by informing the public about false labelling and packaging.
Also to be monitored: suspicious operations related to the production and marketing of fake vaccines, including syringes, vials, caps and crimping tools, printmaking equipment and tools (for Covid-19 labelling and certificates)
Link to the MEDICRIME opinion: https://bit.ly/32T5FPq (Original version in French by Véronique Leblanc)