Supply Chain

Protecting patients from counterfeit medicines is a pressing issue facing governments and the pharmaceutical industry.

Advances in data loggers and radio-frequency identification tags help meet the increasing need for managing the pharmaceutical cold chain.

As the battle against counterfeits gains momentum, PharmTech speaks to Mark Davison, CEO of Blue Sphere Health, and Craig Stobie, global life sciences sector manager at Domino Printing Sciences, about the challenges involved.

In addition to globalisation, high financial rewards and low penalties for counterfeiters are contributing to the rise in fake medicines.

Adeline Siew PharmTech speaks to Lynne Byers and Brian Johnson about Rx-360's initiatives to protect patient safety.

Overt and covert packaging technologies have evolved to authenticate drugs and fight counterfeits.

An operation spanning 16 African countries and conducted by the World Customs Organization (WCO) in partnership with the Institute of Research against Counterfeit Medicines (IRACM) led to the seizure of more than 82 million doses of counterfeit medicines.

Import controls and risk strategies aim to promote quality and spur new drug development.

A report from the European Commission shows that fake pharmaceuticals were the top articles detained by European Union customs in 2011.

European and US associations call for continued vigilance against the threat of counterfeit medicines.

The EDQM (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and HealthCare) are looking to recruit a Scientific Programme Officer to join the team for a five year period to organise, manage and monitor a number of projects related to Pharmaceutical Care and Anti-Counterfeiting activities with a particular focus on the implementation of the MEDICRIME Convention

The UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has launched a new anticounterfeiting strategy with the aim of curbing the occurrence of falsified medicines in the county's supply chain.

Apple's experience with manufacturing facilities in China present opportunity for future best practice.

Once again, Apple is doing something the rest of the world should be paying attention to, only this time it's about the company's approach to managing the global supply chain-even when things go wrong.

With around 80% of APIs manufactured outside the US, many in developing nations without strong regulatory oversight.

“One of the most daunting challenges facing pharmaceutical companies is securing the long and complex supply chains that are typical in today’s global industry.

Regulatory bodies, standard-setting organizations, and industry seek to tackle the problem of counterfeit drugs and securing the flow of pharma ingredients.

Traditionally more prevalent in less industrialised regions, counterfeit medicines are now more frequently entering the heavily regulated supply chains of EU countries.

Regulatory bodies, standard-setting organizations, and industry seek to tackle the problem of counterfeit drugs and securing the flow of pharma ingredients.

As biopharmaceutical development and commercialization increases, companies are expanding their cold-chain capabilities.

The US Pharmacopeia announced a draft standard containing best practices for ensuring that drugs can be traced to their original manufacturer, are not counterfeited or adulterated, and can be transported to their intended destination without compromising quality.

USP Releases Guidelines on Ensuring the Integrity of the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.

When a pharmaceutical supply chain is compromised, there can be disastrous consequences, not only for consumers, but also for manufacturers. Without comprehensive security measures, pharmaceuticals are susceptible to counterfeit, diversion, dilution, tampering and deliberate contamination—ultimately compromising patient safety.

On Nov. 17, 2011, a bill that would increase penalties for those convicted of trafficking in counterfeit drugs was introduced in the House of Representatives. The Counterfeit Drug Penalty Enhancement Act of 2011, cosponsored by four US Senators and two US Representatives.

The EMA released a concept paper for consultation on Nov. 8, 2011, that recommends a revision to Annex 16 of the Guide to Good Manufacturing of Medicinal Products to address more complicated global supply chains and new falsified medicines legislation.

Pharma companies and their suppliers are tasked with managing an evermore complex clinical-trial material supply chain.

It is very difficult to measure the problem of counterfeiting accurately from year to year; by definition criminals don?t file tax returns or publish quarterly earnings.

In an age dominated by the internet and uncertainty over the best packaging security methods to employ, counterfeit medicines have the ideal environment to thrive.

Europe establishes new collaborative system to track products.

Deborah Autor testifies before US Senate HELP committee on requested authorities to improve pharma supply chain.