The conference brought together 102 attendees along with 25 eminent speakers to focus on the strategies and identify solutions to curb the $4.25 billion fake drugs market
The second annual edition of Pharmasafe India, a comprehensive conference on anti – counterfeiting and brand protection witnessed a notable presence of eminent speakers from major pharmaceutical companies, government and regulatory bodies and industry associations representing the entire cross section of pharma eco-system.
The conference brought together 102 attendees along with 25 eminent speakers to focus on the strategies and identify solutions to curb the $4.25 billion fake drugs market, which causes not only a major revenue dent to the industry, but also poses serious threats to public health. The widespread menace of spurious drugs and counterfeit medicines tarnishes the name of the pharma manufacturers and puts the brand image in jeopardy. The conference, well in its second edition proved to be a valuable platform for all the stakeholders to address this major concern of counterfeit drugs.
Business leaders and key decision makers from top pharma companies including Abbott India, Ajanta Pharma, Alembic Pharmaceuticals, Alkem Laboratories, Amgen Biopharmaceuticals, Bayer Zydus Pharmaceuticals, Cadila Pharmaceuticals, Cipla, FDC, Glenmark Pharmaceuticals, MSD, Novartis, Pfizer, GlaxoSmithKline, Sanofi, and Unichem Laboratories, anti-counterfeiting technology experts and solution providers including OptelVision and HP, customs, government and regulatory authorities and leading industry bodies such as Organization of Pharmaceutical Producers of India (OPPI), Indian Drug Manufacturers’ Association (IDMA), Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Authentication Solution Providers’ Association (ASPA) and International Pharmaceutical Excipients Council of India (IPEC) as well as speakers from Sanofi, Central Drug Standards Control Organization, MSD, Optel Vision, HP Indigo and Inkjet Solutions and 1mg among others, became the common voice of the industry.
Shaunak Dave, Asian Market Manager, Optel Vision said, “Pharmasafe India is a unique initiative for combating global counterfeiting by bringing various stakeholders on a common platform, to share information and knowledge on what they have been doing on individual capacities, to brainstorm on creating a synergy fight effectively against counterfeiting with an understanding of nature of challenges faced to protect their brands and businesses. The audience was well aware about the seriousness of the problem of counterfeiting and genuinely participated in the panel discussion to voice their views and insights, in order to understand what type of technology is technically feasible and commercially affordable.”
The initiative taken by Messe Frankfurt was also appreciated by Samson Chiu, Director, Asia Pacific Region, Pharmaceutical Security Institute, who said, “Indian pharma business works very differently and we require India focused strategies and products which was my main purpose to be here and to raise awareness. I found this conference very constructive because attendees here want solutions and are asking questions that can work towards solutions to help eradicate counterfeiting. It is a good start for different stakeholders to work together and improve public and private partnerships.”
Messe Frankfurt has been the first trade fair organiser worldwide to launch an initiative against brand and product piracy, ‘Messe Frankfurt against Copying,’ which aims to ensure that exhibitors and visitors are fully informed and advised about the registration and assertion of intellectual property rights. In India, Messe Frankfurt has been actively involved in addressing the rising concerns on counterfeit products sold in the automotive aftermarket together with the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA).
Extending this initiative to the Indian pharma sector, Messe Frankfurt aims to draw attention to the source of counterfeit medicines and effective initiatives, regulations, and policies that can curb the menace of spurious and sub-standard drugs through Pharmasafe India.
EP News Bureau