French pharma trade group teams up with police to counter fake medicine

The French pharmaceutical trade group Les Entreprises du Medicament (Leem) has joined forces with a police department, the central office to combat threats to the environment and public health, in a bid to combat counterfeit medicines.

The two bodies have launched a ‘Declaration of Principles’ which deepens collaboration between pharma companies and the police, who have already been working together for some years.

They state that a very small number of illicit goods seized in France are counterfeit drugs, but identify a need for high vigilance against the growing threat of sales from illegal websites. For this reason, France has recently brought in stricter legislation than many other European countries.