Source: Saúde Business Web - São Paulo / SP - 31/03/2010

According to the latest survey by the World Health Organization (WHO), the sale of counterfeit goods worldwide caused a tax loss of $ 35 billion last year. That figure could be raised to $ 60 billion in 2010, according to estimates. The sale of medicines in Brazil moved around R $ 30 billion in 2009.

According to information from Valor Econômico, Jay Crowley, a senior consultant to the United States Food and Drugs Adminstration (FDA), said there are discussions about implementing programs in several countries to combat the sale of fake drugs.

Among the most counterfeit drugs in the world are Viagra, by Pfizer, and Cialis, by Eli Lilly, which fight erectile dysfunction. In Brazil, these drugs are usually smuggled across the border, especially from Paraguay. Since April last year, Pfizer has adopted differentiated packaging to try to inhibit the counterfeiting of the famous blue pill. In the UK, only one in 10 blue pills seized is usually original. In Brazil, Pfizer has revenues of approximately R $ 170 million from the sale of Viagra. Worldwide, it reaches US $ 1,9 billion.

A survey commissioned by Pfizer in 14 countries in Europe indicates that the black drug market could reach around € 10 billion a year. In Brazil, the estimate, without a research database, can reach between 10% and 15% of the total revenue from the sale of medicines (out of a total of R $ 30 billion), according to industry sources.