New legislation to fight against falsified medicines adopted by EU

The European Union Council on Friday formally adopted new legislation aimed at protecting patients against the rising threat of falsified medicines. The new EU law is a major step forward in fighting falsified medicines in the region, the Council stated.

It introduces new harmonized, pan-European safety and control measures. It will introduce in particular for medicines exposed to the risk of falsification a new safety feature unique for each package. This will facilitate identifying falsified medicines before they are handed out to patients.

The Directive also introduces a common logo for legally operating on-line pharmacies. Once implemented, it would make it easier for patients throughout the EU to distinguish between legal and illegal on-line pharmacies. It will also tighten the control of the complex distribution chain of medicines by introducing strengthened requirements for EU and non-EU manufacturers of active substances as well as for wholesale distributors of medicinal products.