PREMA LOOKS TO STAUNCH FLOW

       Thai pharmaceutical manufacturers are concerned about the sale of counterfeit medication because not only does it affect the industry it also has an adverse effect on consumers, the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers Association (PReMA) said yesterday.
       PReMA's CEO Kitima Yuthavong said many members of the group were concerned about the issue, which seems to be increasing in Thailand. PReMa, in its capacity as an alliance of manufacturers, is collaborating with government agencies to solve the problem.
       Thavirap Tantiwongse, director of Health System partnerships at PReMA, said though exact figures of the damage inflicted upon the Thai pharmaceutical industry were not available, the World Health Organisation is predicting that the value of counterfeit drugs across the world will hit US$75 billion (Bt2.5 trillion) by next year. At least five nations, including the US, are currently suffering the problem of counterfeit drugs.
       He added that fake drugs could be easily bought at ordinary pharmacies, and consumers often buy the counterfeit medication because it is cheaper.
       PReMA president Teera Chakajnarodom said the 10,000 or so drug stores across the country face the risk of becoming channels for counterfeit medication.
       "Involved government agencies are not able to solve this problem because the penalties are not strong enough. In addition, the business of fake drugs can be very profitable," Thavirap said.
       Kitima said PReMA, which is celebrating its 39th anniversary this year, will hold a seminar on October 30 to discuss the issue of counterfeit drugs as well as do case studies on how to cope with the problem and how to educate consumers.
       Yoshitaka Koketsu, president of Astellas Pharma (Thailand), a Japanese pharmaceutical manufacturer, said his country ranked 5th globally in terms of counterfeit medication, after China, South Korea, the US and India. In Japan, most of the fake drugs are sold through the Internet, even though most Japanese pharmaceutical companies have unique techniques to stop their drugs being reproduced.
       Keketsu said the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA), which has more experience in combating counterfeit medication, will share its know-how at the PReMa seminar.