Every two minutes a child will die of malaria, a disease that can be cured with the right medicine. However, a third of all malaria drugs that are sold in Africa are counterfeit, containing nothing more than chalk or powdered laundry detergent. In South East Asia, 36% of anti-malarial drugs are counterfeit. Fake drugs make up 10-30% of the global market for medicine; some countries have less than 1% in their supply chain, while others, particularly parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America, have more than 30% moving through the market. Although prevention efforts have been stepped up significantly, malaria still kills 650,000 people globally every year. In West Africa alone, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime estimates the market value of fake anti-malarials at more than $400 million.
Expert protection: countering fake products with distinctive primary packaging
In order to end this tragedy, it is essential to take up the fight against counterfeit drugs. As pharmaceuticals in many developing countries are sold without any secondary packaging features, Constantia Flexibles highlights the importance of distinctive primary packaging. Elaborate design features allow customers to spot the difference between original and fake medicine at a glance. Some examples include security pigments, holograms and foil. As one of the global industry leaders in this field, Constantia Flexibles applies highly advanced technologies that make primary packaging fraud proof.
What the industry can do to clamp down on the trafficking of fake drugs
Pierre-Henri Bruchon, executive vice-president at Constantia Flexibles’ pharma division, urges companies to reduce their risk. "Counterfeit drugs offer higher profit margins than approved drugs and are capturing the interest of organised crime," he says. Criminals that traffic fake medicines make profits that are ten times higher than those who move illicit drugs. Bruchon continues, "Pharmaceutical manufacturers need to understand that counterfeit drugs not only threaten innocent lives, but also potentially harm their own brands. We cordially invite healthcare companies worldwide to join our campaign at stop-fake-drugs.com."
By focusing on anti-counterfeiting solutions, consumer safety and sustainable packaging, Constantia Flexibles helps global pharmaceuticals manufacturers to meet their counterfeit challenges. Production sites in Austria, Germany, Italy, Spain, Vietnam, the UK and Belgium make Constantia Flexibles’ pharma division the world’s second-largest flexible packaging manufacturer for the pharmaceuticals industry.
