Counterfeits Conference

The APG and Wellcome Trust held an opinion formers’ conference on counterfeit medicines in London on 26 October 2009.

The illegal trade in counterfeit medicines is of great concern to both organisations, as well as to public health authorities and patients. The principal aims of the conference were to draw out consensus on the key issues and, most importantly, to identify ways in which the problem could be tackled. A summary report has been produced which captures what was commonly agreed upon and what next steps now need to be taken.

A selection of the presentations given on the day:

Making a killing: The deadly implications of substandard and counterfit drugs
Roger Bate, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Washington DC

The evidence base
Paul Newton, Head Wellcome Trust - Mahosot Hospital - Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Collaboration, Laos

Counterfeits: A view from the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) countries
Brian Elliott, Executive Director of the Medicines Transparency Alliance (MeTA) Secretariat

The anti-counterfeiting medicines programme of the World Health Organization
Hans Hogerzeil, Director of Essential Medicines and Pharmaceutical Policies, World Health Organization

Kenya, counterfeits and less developed countries
Julian Harris, International Policy Network

Pharmaceutical industry perspective
Ron Guido, Vice-President of Global Brand Protection, Johnson & Johnson

Information is also available at the Wellcome Trust, including video interviews with a selection of speakers.

The press release issued on 18 November 2009 is available for information.