Pharmaceutical Logistics: Preventing fake drug spread

The rapid growth of e-commerce has once again highlighted the significant issue of counterfeit medicines and falsified pharmaceutical records within the freight forwarding sector.

The scale of the Problem

Last year, authorities in the UK confiscated around £30 million ($38 million) worth of counterfeit medicines. In Europe, Europol seized €64 million ($70 million) worth of these products in just six months. Interpol’s efforts in 2022 led to the seizure of counterfeit medicines valued at $11 million across 94 countries in just eight days.

New Challenges in Pharmaceutical Logistics

Since the onset of the pandemic, freight forwarders have noted a noticeable increase in new players entering the pharmaceutical logistics sector. According to Lionel D’Silva, Head of Airfreight Development at NNR Global Logistics, the main concern now centres around “falsified” medicines.

He explained that counterfeit medicines are essentially unauthorised replicas that infringe on intellectual property rights. While falsified medicines are products that claim to be genuine but fail to meet essential standards for safety, quality and effectiveness.

Using antibiotics as an example, Mr D’Silva pointed out that falsified antibiotics contribute to the alarming rise of antimicrobial resistance, where medicines lose their ability to effectively treat infections. “In low- and middle-income countries, small manufacturers often replicate drugs from major pharmaceutical companies, but these copies typically lack the correct dosage and therefore fail to achieve the intended medical outcomes,” he said.

He further noted, “With the ease of online purchasing, these substandard medications are now spreading to higher-income countries, worsening the problem of drug resistance there as well.”

The Role of Freight Forwarders

While preventing the production of counterfeit medicines at their source may be beyond the direct control of the forwarding community. Mr D’Silva suggested that efforts could be concentrated on stopping these products from entering other markets.

“Forwarders have dedicated quality control teams who are tasked with verifying the authenticity of the goods they handle. By thoroughly checking and rechecking, they can help prevent these harmful products from reaching consumers”, he concluded.

Unlock further insights at The Loadstar.

Stay informed with the latest industry updates by exploring our full range of articles here.