Counterfeit Medicines- Survey Report 21/02/2006

Counterfeit medicines pose an ever-greater threat to public health in Europe today. In an effort to adequately measure the scope of the phenomenon and reduce the inherent risks, the Council of Europe has commissioned a survey on issues related to this particularly disquieting form of fraud. This report covers, among others, the current and estimated market and trade matters; the status of pharmaceutical regulation; national and international co-operation between authorities, the industry and wholesalers; detection systems and procedures; the adequacy of legal, judicial and administrative systems and professional training in the matter. It also sets out to define counterfeit medicine and pharmaceutical crime.