GIRP commits to fight drug counterfeiting

Members of the European Association of Pharmaceutical Full-line Wholesaler (the GIRP) have agreed to join forces to take concrete actions against the risks of counterfeit medicines entering the market.

The decision was announced at a recent GIRP conference, where it was said "a sense of real optimism prevailed," and it was agreed that a coalition of supply chain partners will advance a zero tolerance approach to counterfeit drugs in order to protect European patients.

The GIRP says that an effort was made to shift the debate away from the repetitive common statements of the issue. A panel of high-level experts representing the partners of the pharmaceutical supply chain agreed that developing "Safe Supply" would add the vital missing value to country and company specific initiatives and that the vision must be embraced immediately.