Brussels, 18/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - During a press conference, MEPs Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL, Cyprus), who is rapporteur on the proposal for a directive on combating counterfeit medicines, Jorgo Chatzimarkakis (ALDE, Germany), and François Grossetête (EPP-ED, France) said, on Tuesday 17 February, that they regretted the belated presentation of the proposal which came at the end of the legislature. Underlining the upward trend in this criminal offence which increasingly concerns the European market, they plan to address a number of the failings in the Commission proposal, including with regard to the fight against the sale of fake medicines on the internet. Stressing the need to ensure not only the safety of patients but also their access to quality medication at affordable prices, the rapporteur conceded that he does not believe it will still be possible for this Parliament to take a stance on the Commission proposal. According to Mr Adamou, the most likely timetable could be a vote in committee in October and a vote in plenary in December. However, he adds, what is important is that “no mistakes must be made” and time must be taken to “look at it very seriously”. Highly critical of the Commission, Mr Chatzimarkakis mainly reproached it for not having suggested anything to fight against online counterfeiting. He hopes the Commission will present a list of authorised sites for selling pharmaceutical products in Europe. Although Ms Grossetête is also in favour of intervention on the internet, she stresses there should be strict traceability, like that set in place in the food sector, and adequate control of repackaging practice. She spoke of the possibility of moving “towards harmonisation of medicine dosage” in order to reduce risks relating to the handling of pharmaceutical products, including in parallel trade activities.
Jean-François Dehecq, President of Sanofi-Aventis, has deplored the fact that “we have allowed the counterfeit industry to develop (…) - criminal activity that has now become a problem for the whole of northern society”. In the field of medicines, there is a real public health problem and, as Mr Dehcq states, this has nothing to do with counterfeiting in the clothing sector. “I do not know a single patient who wants to buy a counterfeit medicine”, he said. Affirming that the fight against counterfeiting is turned neither against generic medicines nor against parallel trade, Mr Dehecq pointed out how large the counterfeiting phenomenon was. According to WHO, it today accounts for 10% of the world medicines market, i.e. €45 billion. On the internet, the counterfeit drugs market is said to be growing by 50% annually, he added.
Roxana Radulescu, who represents the EPF patients' organisation, welcomed the Commission's proposal, placing emphasis on: (1) the need to develop a patient-focused approach; (2) a regulatory framework that respects patient access to quality and affordable medicines; (3) the importance of patient information on the risks entailed in counterfeit products; (4) the taking into account of patients' interests in other regions of the world; and (5) the creation of a quality label for internet sites. (O.J./transl.jl)