Counterfeit clippings: global news round-up

Our latest round-up of counterfeit news items from around the world includes a new counterfeit medicines law in Ukraine, seizures in UAE and India, plus updates from Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

In Ukraine, the national Parliament has given provisional (first reading) approval to a draft bill that seeks to define a counterfeit medicine and introduce specific criminal penalties for those engaged in the manufacture, supply and sale of such products. UkrainianJournal.com reports that the draft bill could lead to amendments of the laws on medicine, the Criminal Code and Code of Criminal Proceedings, and the Code of Administrative Violations.

The authorities in United Arab Emirates have recovered 100,000 fake erectile dysfunction tablets in two raids on properties in Dubai, according to a report on Gulfnews.com. Fake Viagra, Cialis and Levitra were uncovered in the operation, as well as counterfeit weight-loss products, according to the report, which cites Yasar Yaman, Pfizer's Director of Global Security for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

The state drug control department in Haryana, India, successfully took down a spurious drug manufacturing operation in Goa based at the premises of Jorker Pharmaceutical earlier this month, reports the Times of India. The production unit was found to be counterfeiting Coscold (pseudoephedrine), a cough medicine brand owned by Indian drugmaker Cosmo Pharma. Around 250,000 fake Coscold tablets were seized at the premises. The department has filed criminal proceedings against three people, including company director Ranjan Kumar, as well as actions against Jorker Pharmaceutical itself under various provisions of India's Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

The US Embassy hosted a workshop on counterfeit medicines in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, on May 22 in order to raise awareness of fake and unregistered drugs among pharmacists, police officers and healthcare workers. The programme included a discussion of ways to safeguard intellectual property rights by registering and controlling genuine pharmaceuticals and medicines and enforcing the procedures established to do so. The workshop was the last of four organised in Sri Lanka by the Embassy, along with the American Chamber of Commerce and National Intellectual Property Office. Previous events were held in Colombo, Galle and Kandy.

The Federation of Chinese Physicians and Medicine Dealers Association of Malaysia has advised the public to be wary of counterfeit Chinese medicines circulating in the market, particularly cough syrups and treatments for arthritis, according to a Borneo Post article. The groups recommend that consumers look for the official Ministry of Health hologram on any packs they purchase and check the batch numbers and other information via the official bpfk.gov.my website.