Germany's ABDA stands by supply chain's integrity

Consumers in Germany can have a high degree of confidence in the medicine supply chain despite recent cases of counterfeiting reported in the media, says the country's pharmacy association ABDA.

"The safest way to get drugs in Germany is any one of the 21,500 community pharmacies," said a spokesman for ABDA, who noted that there have been just 40 cases of counterfeiting in Germany's legal supply chain since 1996 according to the Federal Criminal Police (BKA).

"The high security of the supply chain in Germany - from the producer via the wholesaler to the pharmacy - has been the guarantee for this high degree of consumer protection," he said.

Earlier this month it emerged that pharmacies in the north of Germany had been involved in compounding medicines using illegally-sourced active ingredients, while in another case a wholesaler purchased illegal and potentially counterfeit medicines from eastern Europe and sold them on to pharmacies (see German pharmacies infiltrated by fake medicines?).

"If there is any suspicion about fraud or violation of safety standards in any of the community pharmacies, ABDA and its member organisations are keen to help investigating such cases and preventing such behaviour in the future," said the spokesman.

ABDA also said it has continuously warned consumers in Germany about illegal drug trade via the Internet or from other suspicious sources by means of test purchases, flyers, posters, press releases and cinema spots.


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