EFPIA Efforts to Block Stolen Drugs in European Supply Chain

The European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations’ new medicines verification system will put an end to the re-sale of stolen and counterfeit drugs in the European supply chain, the organisation claims.

The European Stakeholder Model (ESM) reportedly offers a cost-effective technological solution using anti-tampering device together with 2D barcoding to verify the authenticity of medicinal products.

Because of loopholes in traceability systems across EU jurisdictions,  stolen medicines are re-entering the legal trade in EU countries through fictitious or corrupt brokers. With EFPIA’s verification system, serial numbers corresponding to each packaging will be recorded in the system; in case of repackaging, a link between the originators’ serial numbers and the traders’ serial numbers at batch level will be secured in the system. This link, reports EFPIA,  will prevent any re-introduction of stolen medicines on any EU markets.

Last week AIFA, the Italian Medicines Agency, reported that between 2006 and 2013 one in ten Italian hospitals registered thefts of pharmaceuticals.