PHARMACISTS

A pharmacist in charge of a distribution facility must submit to the competent authorities any observations reported due to his own experience or following elements that have been reported.

Particular attention will be paid to detect quality defects of a drug suspected to be a counterfeit: a change in size, color, shape, taste, texture (eg. more friable tablets), packaging, or the occurence of an unexpected or unusual effect.

• 1 – Abnormally low prices should attract attention
• 2 – Remember to check regularly the elements of traceability :batch number and expiry dates of drugs you receive.
• 3 – The distribution system must be established
• 4 – If a patient complains about the ineffectiveness of the treatment or about unusual side effects, please ask the source of the drug and get it shown to you to inspect and compare it with a reliable information source.

DOCTORS

All classes of drugs are subject to counterfeiting: antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, analgesics, anxiolytics… Often, the primary means of detecting fake drugs is generally the reporting by the patient of unusual side effects or an ineffective treatment.

You can help your patients avoid counterfeit health products by focusing on several points during the medical visit:

• 1. The purchase of prescribed treatments in pharmacies belonging to the authorized distribution network
• 2. An examination of the drugs and their boxes prior to administration of treatment
• 3. Distrusting distributors practicing abnormally low prices
• 4. The importance of reporting unusual side effects