Firms call for crackdown on fake drugs

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Patrice Paoli, French ambassador to the UAE, displays the confiscated Plavix.

Representatives of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies have pressed home demands for tighter regulations on drug importing, after Dubai Customs seized a haul of counterfeit medications worth an estimated AED5 million ($1.4million).

The raid, which uncovered 20,000 boxes of the cardiovascular drug Plavix, has prompted calls for tougher consequences for counterfeiters.

"We want to see regulators and legislators recognising that this is a serious problem," said Guy Willis, director of communications, International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations. "Counterfeit drugs kill people."

Regional cooperation is needed to clamp down on counterfeit traffic, the groups said, warning that lost profits could dissuade further investment in the local pharmaceutical market.

"Aside from patient safety, the first casualty is the lack of confidence in the brand," said Willis. "The losses are huge."

The firms have pinpointed Jebel Ali port as a loophole in the region's supply chain.

Dr El Hakim, director of external affairs & policy at Pfizer, cites recent raids in the UAE and Jordan. "When we were able to make some successful raids, our legitimate Viagra sales picked up hugely in Saudi Arabia," he said.

"Jebel Ali is a black hole," said a spokesperson for Sanofi Aventis. "We can't control the efficiency of custom clearance in the free zone."

Firmer rules for local pharmacies would also help level the playing field, Hakim added.

"When you have the counterfeits taking place in the legitimate channels of distribution, it's very hard to stop." he said. "This crime takes place at the pharmacy, and this is one of the elements that we are finding it very difficult to fight."

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