The globally coordinated fight against pharmaceutical crime is crucial in ensuring the protection of public health. This year's meeting of the Permanent Forum on International Pharmaceutical Crime (PFIPC) took place from 10 to 13 September in Solothurn, with representatives of authorities from 20 countries. International trends were discussed and the collaboration was strengthened.
Bern, 17. September 2024
The PFIPC is an international forum founded 26 years ago to protect public health through the exchange of new findings in the fight against therapeutic products crime and to promote mutual collaboration. The participating therapeutic products authorities and police from all continents are leading the way in tackling illegal and falsified medicinal products, and benefit from one another's experiences to combat illegal manufacture and eliminate illegal distribution channels efficiently.
During the presentations and discussions, trends were also discussed with representatives from industry and sales platforms, as well as with international organisations. The active pharmaceutical ingredients of seized medicinal products and the associated health risks were discussed in a joint session with representatives from the parallel International Laboratory Forum on Counterfeit Medicines (ILFCM) meeting.
Swissmedic regularly finds undeclared, overdosed and prohibited active substances in illegally imported medicinal products. International coordination in combating therapeutic products crime is therefore a key element in protecting public health.
The findings from best practices from other law enforcement agencies are also used to improve the Swiss Medicrime point of contact.
Karoline Mathys, Head of Medical Devices Surveillance at Swissmedic, opened the annual meeting of the PFIPC/ILFCM, with 47 representatives from around the world participating.