Source: UOL - São Paulo / SP - FINANCE - 11/06/2010

SAO PAULO - Starting this month, consumers will be able to prove the authenticity of medicines inside pharmacies, said the deputy director of Anvisa (National Health Surveillance Agency), Pedro Ivo.

According to him, authenticity readers will begin to be installed as of the 15th, at 65 pharmacies in the country. "The system's implementation schedule foresees up to three years," he said, according to Agência Brasil.

Also according to the agency, the drugs must have labels with an identification code from July 15. With tracking, the product will be tracked from manufacture to sale to the consumer.

For Ivo, the counterfeiting of medicines harms the entire population, "either due to the lack of effect of the counterfeit product or to the toxicity, which can lead to death," he added. The director attended the 2nd National Forum on Drug Traceability and Combating Counterfeiting and Smuggling in Brazil.

Traceability system

The tracking system will be managed by the Casa da Moeda do Brasil. She develops the technology, produces the readers and will control the distribution of the devices and self-adhesive labels.

According to Interfarma (Association of the Pharmaceutical Research Industry), the pharmaceutical market generates US $ 724,5 billion per year and Latin America is one of the fastest growing regions. With this growth, counterfeits also increase.

“In Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa, more than 30% of medicines are counterfeit. The most neglected populations are also the biggest victims, ”said Senator Romeu Tuma (PTB-SP), according to the agency, who also attended the Forum.

For the senator, in addition to the traceability system, it is necessary to do educational work with the consumer so that he knows the risks of buying and consuming a contraband product. “Anvisa needs to establish rules for pharmacies to guide users when consuming a medication. The consumer often purchases the medication without knowing the side effects ”, he stressed.