MHRA reveals anti-counterfeiting phone line

The next time a drug does not work by, for instance, suddenly ceasing to control the blood pressure of a particular patient, don't just take it for granted that the medication should be changed, think COUNTERFEIT.

Somewhat belatedly the MHRA has unveiled its first anti-counterfeiting strategy, following the recall of four batches of fake medicines from the UK market this year.  Which?

Dispensing doctors, other GPs and pharmacists need to see the UK medicines regulator's list of at-risk medicines to fulfil their potential in the fight against counterfeits.

Central to the MHRA's three-year plan is a 24-hour hotline (020 7084 2701) for reporting counterfeits. Doctors are urged to be vigilant and report potentially defective products.

Mick Deats, group manager of the MHRA's enforcement and intelligence group, has said: "We want healthcare professionals to have enough knowledge to know that reduced efficacy of a drug could be because there's a counterfeit in the chain."   Amazing!  This web-site has been shouting out that mantra for some years now and the author in his books listed on the Front Page of the site has devoted special sections to it.

A Ms McCreedy said: "[Pharmacists] need to be continually vigilant about where we purchase our medicines from. That list of at-risk medicines will help us to increase our vigilance."   For goodness sake, that should be instinctive by now but, to be fair, the fools in charge of the Department Of Health are not exactly making that task any easier.  Month by month they reduce the reimbursement

Mr Deats responded: "I fully agree with you, you should have access to that list." The NPA would pursue the issue further, Ms McCreedy told C+D.