UAE Patient Access to Quality, Affordable Treatment Options Can Help Reduce Incidence of Counterfeit Medication, Says Local Pharmaceutical Expert
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Pharmacists, physicians, and other healthcare professionals play a key role in the UAE's fight against counterfeit and low quality medicine, says a local pharmaceutical expert.
The UAE healthcare community should be aware of the 'tell-tale' signs of counterfeit and low quality medicine which can include unexplained declines in a patient's medical condition, or unexpected side effects.
Experts also warn that, if a patient reports that a drug tastes or looks different, if tablets are chipped or cracked, or if the patient experiences localised burning after an injection, counterfeit medicine may be involved.
"Counterfeit medicines are a major threat to public health, and pose a health risk leading to inadequate treatment, serious adverse reactions, resistance, disability and even death," said Dr Ali Al Sayed Hussain, Director - Pharmacy Department, Dubai Health Authority.
"It is therefore most important that stakeholders prioritize this issue with concrete measures to put in place systems that can effectively counter this major threat. Pharmacists can be a vital asset in assuring the safety of patients through their proactive participation in the fight against counterfeit medicines," he added.
Counterfeiting is difficult to detect, investigate, and quantify and therefore the extent of the problem of counterfeit drugs is unknown.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says counterfeit drugs can be found worldwide and are more prevalent in developing countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that counterfeit drugs range from less than one percent in developed countries to over 30 percent in some developing countries.
Counterfeit medicines present a danger to patient health and safety because they are made in unlicensed, unregistered locations that are not inspected and are frequently unsanitary.
Counterfeit medicines tend to contain no, little or too much Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and potentially toxic ingredients such as pesticides, rat poison, and leaded highway paint among others. Ultimately, the main dangers to health posed by fake and low quality drugs is failure to provide effective treatment, direct harm, and drug resistance.
In a bid to bring medicines to a growing sector of regional consumers in demand of quality, affordable treatment options across a range of therapeutic areas, Cinfa, one of Europe's largest drugs manufacturers has announced plans to enter the rapidly-expanding Middle East market via the UAE.
"Consumers are increasingly price-sensitive and are, of course, unwilling to compromise on their health. Access to safe, affordable and quality medicines for the treatment of prominent diseases in the UAE, like diabetes and cardiovascular disease, is therefore very important," said Alberto Bustamante, International Business Unit Director, Cinfa.
"Important to note is that one of the drivers for people to buy counterfeit or low quality medication is that they consider them a bargain, and are willing to accept a price-quality trade-off, especially if they believe that they are just as good as a legitimate product," Bustamante continued.
Cinfa's drugs comply with the strictest EU regulatory standards, operating in markets such as the UK, Germany and France. With more than 40 years of experience as a developer, manufacturer, and marketer of drugs, Cinfa is present in over 52 countries and is a key player in the world's pharmaceutical industry, with a drug portfolio composed of 102 active ingredients treating more than 30 major diseases and conditions.
About Cinfa
Cinfa is a Spanish pharmaceutical company with more than 40 years of expertise in the industry. It has a professional team of more than 900 workers motivated by a common health project: giving people access to affordable and high quality treatments. In order to achieve this goal, it has the most advanced technologies and facilities.
Cinfa is the most bought pharmaceutical brand in Spanish homes. It is present in 52 countries and currently expanding internationally. Its portfolio comprises five lines of products: prescription drugs, OTCs, orthopaedics, dermocosmetics and nutraceutical solutions.
Its commitment to innovation, international expansion and environmental issues are the mainstays of the company.
For more information please contact:
Rola Abu Hassan
Wallis Marketing Consultants
Cinfa@wallis-mc.com
+971 4 390 1950
© Press Release 2013
