Author: Silvana Orsini

Source: ADVFN Blogs (Investnews partner), 13/06/2008

In many ways, the Brazilian government's initiative to track medicines from end to end, from the production chain, from the factory to the pharmacy counter, is praiseworthy. The fight against informality (sister to evasion and almost always fueled by crime) and counterfeiting are among the main reasons for the decision made in March by the National Health Surveillance Association (Anvisa), based on a suggestion by the Brazilian Institute of Ethics in Competition ( Etco). In April, public hearings on the measure were opened and within 30 days almost 60 suggestions were presented to be analyzed during this period. The goal is for the tracking to be implemented in January 2009.

The idea also bears the mark of pioneering spirit, since Brazil may become the first country to adopt such a practice - obviously, if the bureaucracy and lack of objectivity that normally mark the major issues related to the health sector do not predominate. The United States and Europe have also started public discussions, concerned that around one third of the active ingredients in medicines worldwide are counterfeit.

In Brazil, counterfeiting of medicines is also increasing and adding to the theft of cargoes of drugs to aggravate bleeding, according to Etco estimates, of at least US $ 1 billion in tax evasion.

The system to be implemented foresees the placement of some type of device in the packaging - from barcode to microchip - that identifies the medicine and allows its monitoring, even by internet, throughout the cycle, from production to distribution.

The adoption of tracking, however, has a cost and here, as always, the crucial question is: does the consumer have to pay the bill again? Do we now have to pay a “security fee” on a product where that quality - that of being safe - is really the only one that matters?

link: http://investnews.advfn.com/p.php?pid=blogbr&blog=silvanaorsini&article=719

Site: ADVFN Blogs (Investnews partner)

Silvana Orsini

InvestNews publisher, specialized in the Health area