1. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world Advancing the fight against counterfeit medicines Ms. Regina Kamoga IAPO Board Member, Country Manager, CHAIN, Uganda 23 rd IFPMA Assembly 11-12 October 2006 Geneva, Switzerland

2. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world An African patient perspective on prevalence of counterfeits In Africa there is generally a low level of awareness regarding counterfeit medicines. Poverty, vulnerability of patients suffering from mass killer diseases e.g. Malaria, TB and HIV/AIDS and failure of public health systems, have provided fertile ground for counterfeit medicines to prevail

3. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world Perpetrators include (among others); Importers Smugglers Pharmacists Healthcare providers Local manufacturers Regulators with personal interests

4. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world How they get away with it Limited facilities to test for quality Political Interference Inadequate financial, institutional & human resource capacity for coordination & implementation of national drug policies Borders too porous especially for landlocked states, thus facilitating smuggling

5. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world How they get away with it High and prohibitive pricing for some drugs provides ready market for cheaper counterfeits Weak law and enforcement – inconclusive investigations, prosecutions and non- deterrent sentences Public ignorance Corruption

6. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world How to curb counterfeiting Political will Collaboration amongst all stakeholders Strengthen institutional and human resource capacity Design and implement consumer-targeted and consumer-based information, education, and communication campaigns Fight corruption Pharmacovigilance Cooperation with and sensitization of regulatory and law enforcement bodies

7. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world How rich countries can help A Global problem needs a global solution Global regulation and enforcement-strict export control mechanism Subsidize medicines for poor countries Increase funding for essential medicines for poor countries Fund initiatives that promote information and empowerment of patients Technical and technological assistance to developing countries

8. Promoting patient-centred healthcare around the world IAPO’s role in the fight against counterfeit medicines A Unique global alliance of national, regional and international groups representing patients across disease areas Involved with the WHO initiative IMPACT(International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce) Exploring how to provide balanced accurate information to patients and the public to raise awareness of the problem of counterfeit medicines and how to check medicines : A patient safety tool is in the process of being produced IAPO’s stance A coordinated multi-stakeholder and multi-level approach, sharing knowledge and resources has the potential to be highly effective

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