OECD and Europol issue COVID-19 counterfeits warning
The COVID-19 pandemic is heightening the dangers posed by the global trade in counterfeit pharmaceutical products, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO).
In a statement issued yesterday, April 21, the two organisations have urged governments to ensure the legitimate and safe provenance of pharmaceutical products as the volume of fake medicines linked to coronavirus grows.
OECD secretary-general Angel Gurría said: “The sale of counterfeit and defective pharmaceuticals is a despicable crime, and the discovery of fake medical supplies related to COVID-19 just as the world pulls together to fight this pandemic makes this global challenge all the more acute and urgent.”
Late last month, the EUIPO and OECD published a report focused on counterfeit medicines, finding that trade in fake pharmaceuticals hit $4.4billion in 2016.
India remains the main provenance economy of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, followed by China. India was the origin of 53% of the total seized value of counterfeit pharmaceutical products and medicines worldwide in 2016 (compared with 53% for the 2011-2013 period), while China was the origin of 30%.
According to the associations, the trafficking and sale of fake or defective medicines is enriching criminal groups and endangering health while draining away vital industry and tax revenues.
Meanwhile, Interpol’s annual Operation Pangea, a globally coordinated operation aimed at tackling the illegal online sale of medicines and medical devices, identified a “disturbing trend” of criminals who are exploiting the high market demand for personal protection and hygiene products.
Across the world, more than 34,000 unlicensed and fake products, advertised as “corona spray”, “coronavirus medicines” or, “coronaviruses packages” were seized, and more than 2,000 online advertisements related to COVID-19 were found.
Earlier this week, sister site WIPR reported that Europol had seen a surge in demand for counterfeit products, particularly fake pharmaceutical and healthcare products, throughout the current COVID-19 crisis.
In early March, US Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a package containing suspected counterfeit COVID-19 test kits arriving from the UK. The City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit has also charged a man with making counterfeit coronavirus treatment kits and sending them to customers across the world.
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