Transaction Search Form: please type in any of the fields below.
Date: April 30, 2024 Tue
Time: 4:01 am
Time: 4:01 am
Results for counterfeit drugs
4 results foundAuthor: Finlay, Brian D. Title: Counterfeit Drugs and National Security Summary: The deadly implications of counterfeit drugs are well understood to be a central challenge to the integrity of public health systems around the globe, as well as a direct threat to our individual health and welfare. What is less understood is that the profits from this sinister crime are increasingly being co-opted by an array of organized criminal groups and terrorist entities as a means by which to fund their nefarious operations around the world. As such, counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose a direct threat to national and international security. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), counterfeit drugs could make up as much as half of the global pharmaceutical market, with the largest share of fake products circulating in the developing world where regulation and enforcement capacity is comparatively weak. Though the basis of this estimate is unclear, the figure is especially alarming given the narrow definition of “counterfeit” used by the agency. However, it is clear that counterfeit pharmaceuticals remain one of the world’s fastest growing industries. Recent trends suggest a massive increase in counterfeit drug sales to over $70 billion globally in 2010. This is an increase of more than 90 percent from 2005. Although the counterfeiting of, and trafficking in, all manner of products is on the rise globally — including currency, documents, software, and electronics — no other bogus product has the capacity to harm or even kill its consumer as do illicit pharmaceuticals. Additionally, most other counterfeits are not quite as lucrative. According to a recent report on counterfeit drugs by the global pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, profits from counterfeiting today surpass gains made from heroin and cocaine. These alarming rates of growth are, in part, a result of the growing size and sophistication of drug counterfeiting rings, and the widening involvement of organized transnational criminals and even international terrorist groups looking to fund their illegal and unrelated activities worldwide. Indeed, not only have groups such as the Russian mafia, Colombian drug cartels, Chinese triads, and Mexican drug gangs all become heavily involved in producing and trafficking counterfeit drugs over the past decade, but mounting evidence also points to the direct involvement of Hezbollah and al Qaeda. With increased opportunity to make gains from the pharmaceutical counterfeit industry, nefarious actors are likely to pay even more attention to it in the future. As such, the problem is not only a public health hazard of highest magnitude; it is also a national and international security threat. Details: Washington, DC: The Stimson Center, 2011. 16p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 28, 2011 at: http://www.stimson.org/images/uploads/research-pdfs/Full_-_Counterfeit_Drugs_and_National_Security.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: http://www.stimson.org/images/uploads/research-pdfs/Full_-_Counterfeit_Drugs_and_National_Security.pdf Shelf Number: 120881 Keywords: Counterfeit DrugsCounterfeit PharmaceuticalsOrganized CrimeTerrorist Financing |
Author: Harris, Julian Title: Keeping it Real: Combating the spread of fake drugs in poor countries Summary: The outbreak of swine flu yet again brought fake medicines into the limelight, with Interpol warning of a quick spread in fake cures. Counterfeit and substandard medicines increasingly plague all corners of the world, causing death, suffering and provoking new drug resistant strands of disease. Up to a third of medicines in poor countries are counterfeit, according to the UK’s Department for International Development, while surveys in poor parts of the world show up to half of medicines are fakes. This paper estimates that 700,000 suffers of malaria and tuberculosis alone die annually due to fake drugs. This is the equivalent of four fully-laden jumbo jets crashing every single day. The root causes of the scourge of fake drugs must be understood in order to tackle the problem, with defective legal systems and government distortions of pharmaceutical markets largely to blame. Fortunately a new wave of technologies can protect the identity of high quality medicines, and are sufficiently complex to make counterfeiting economically unviable. Combined with stronger trademark laws and lower barriers to high quality medicines, these technologies offer real hope to the world’s poorest people. Details: Washington, DC: International Policy Network - Health Issues, 2009. 30p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 28, 2012 at http://www.policynetwork.net/sites/default/files/keeping_it_real_2009.pdf Year: 2009 Country: International URL: http://www.policynetwork.net/sites/default/files/keeping_it_real_2009.pdf Shelf Number: 126131 Keywords: Counterfeit DrugsCounterfeit PharmaceuticalsMedicines |
Author: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Title: The non-medical use of prescription drugs Policy direction issues Summary: The growing non-medical use of prescription drugs is a global health concern. Such usage can be defined as the taking of prescription drugs, whether obtained by prescription or otherwise, other than in the manner or for the reasons or time period prescribed, or by a person for whom the drug was not prescribed. The real scale of the problem is unknown, due partly to lack of data on the non-medical use of prescription drugs, and partly to the existence of many gaps in the monitoring of their legal use for medical purposes as prescribed by health-care professionals (which creates opportunities for the diversion of these drugs to people to whom they were not prescribed). Most studies on and monitoring instruments for substance abuse pertain to the use of illegal drugs, or alcohol and tobacco. However, the non-medical use of prescription drugs is a unique category of substance use in number of ways and requires attention at different levels. Advances in the pharmaceutical industry have led to the production of powerful psychoactive medications, which when prescribed appropriately and taken in the manner intended, improve the quality of life of those with specific medical conditions, such as acute pain, palliative care, epilepsy, dependence on opioids and acute anxiety. However, when used inappropriately, these medications can have serious consequences for health and can lead to dependence. In recognition of the problems that may be caused by the inappropriate use of such medication, their use has been regulated by three major drug control treaties: • The Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs of 1961 as amended by the 1972 Protocol, which was aimed at combating the use of illicit drugs by coordinated international action. • The Convention on Psychotropic Substances of 1971, which established an international system of control for the use of psychotropic substances. • The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (adopted in 1988), which includes legislative and administrative measures against drug trafficking, including provisions against money-laundering and the diversion of precursor chemicals. The overall aims of these treaties are to ensure the availability of these medications for medical and scientific purposes, and to prevent their diversion into illicit channels. The most common types of prescription medication used in a non-medical context include the following: (a) opioids, such as hydrocodone, oxycodone, propoxyphene, hydromorphone, meperidine, and fentanyl; (b) other central nervous system depressants, including both barbiturates, such as pentobarbital sodium, and benzodiazepines, such as diazepam and alprazolam; and (c) central nervous stimulants, including amphetamines such as dextroamphetamine, and amphetamine-like stimulants, such as methylphenidate. Increased non-medical use creates a greater demand for prescription medications, leading to new sources of diversion from medical to non-medical use or to the production of counterfeit drugs (United States, Office of National Drug Control Policy, 2008). In its 2006 report, the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) noted that medications containing narcotic or psychotropic drugs are becoming the drugs of choice for many users, and that drug traffickers are responding to the demand through increased diversion and the production of counterfeit drugs. Prescription drugs can be obtained for non-medical purposes by various means. These include: • Obtaining prescriptions or prescription drugs from family and friends • Over prescribing by physicians • Multiple prescriptions through a doctor • Forged prescriptions • Illegal online pharmacies • Theft and burglary (from hospitals, residences, pharmacies) • Unscrupulous physicians selling drugs This paper responds to the Political Declaration of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs issued in 2009, in which Member States of the United Nations vowed: "…to tackle the world drug problem and actively promote a society free of drug abuse in order to ensure that all people can live in health, dignity and peace, with security and prosperity." (Political Declaration, paragraph 1). This paper is also a result of the drug-related resolution 53/4 of 2010 adopted by the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND), resolution that states: "… stressing the importance of promoting adequate availability of internationally controlled licit drugs for medical and scientific purposes while preventing their diversion and abuse, …" . Details: Vienna: UNODC, 2011. 96p.96p. Source: Internet Resource: Discussion Paper: Accessed March 21, 2017 at: https://www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/nonmedical-use-prescription-drugs.pdf Year: 2011 Country: International URL: https://www.unodc.org/documents/drug-prevention-and-treatment/nonmedical-use-prescription-drugs.pdf Shelf Number: 144537 Keywords: Counterfeit DrugsDrug Abuse and Addiction Drug Abuse and Crime Drug Addiction Drug Control Policy Prescription Drug Abuse Prescription Drugs |
Author: Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) Title: Money Laundering Resulting from the Counterfeiting of Pharmaceuticals in West Africa Summary: This study was aimed at understanding the nature and magnitude of the money- laundering phenomenon resulting from the counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals in West Africa. The methodology employed involved the selection of four countries (Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo) for the purpose of in-depth country level study, while the remaining countries responded to a questionnaire. From the country reports and the responses provided by the member States to the questionnaire and the case studies provided by law enforcement authorities, the linkage between Money Laundering (ML) and counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals was analysed. Details: s.l.: GIABA, 2017. 56p. Source: Internet Resource: Typologies Report: Accessed April 26, 2018 at: https://www.giaba.org/media/f/1038_GIABA_Typologies%20Report%20on%20ML%20and%20Counterfeit%20Pharmaceutical.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Africa URL: https://www.giaba.org/media/f/1038_GIABA_Typologies%20Report%20on%20ML%20and%20Counterfeit%20Pharmaceutical.pdf Shelf Number: 149896 Keywords: Counterfeit DrugsFinancial CrimesMoney Laundering |