The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 1% of medicines available in the developed world are believed to be fraudulent. Last year, an estimated 4.75 billion prescriptions were written in the U.S. That means 4.75 million prescriptions were written for counterfeit medicines last year in the U.S.
These startling statistics were presented by Charles Forsaith, Director, Supply Chain Security, Purdue Pharma & Chairman, Pharmaceutical Cargo Security Coalition at the Healthcare Compliance Packaging Council’srxdherence会议in Florham Park, NJ.
Pharmaceutical cargo theft is big business. Forsaith cited that for every $1,000 invested in counterfeiting pharmaceuticals the return is $300,000. That’s a 29,900% return on investment! It’s big business, and for that reason, the level of sophistication in both counterfeiters and thieves is rising.
好消息是，除了盗贼的成长复杂性外，制药和医疗器械制造商正在采取前所未有的步骤来保护其产品。Forsaith表示，由于教育研讨会和会议的持续努力以及与货物盗窃事件相关的共享情报数量增加，大规模事件的数量正在减少。据报道，2009年，据报道，47家大型制药货物盗窃，平均损失为42,000,000美元，2016年的损失少于15美元，平均价值为200,000美元。
Forsaith recommends that anyone who is interested in learning more about preventing theft attend a seminar from PCSC, the Transported Asset Protection Association (TAPA), or an NICB National Cargo Theft Task Force seminar. Interested parties can also sign up for BSi, Freightwatch, IJET, CargoNet, Eurowatch. PCSC or Transportation Security Council Alerts.
