INTERPOL and 29 of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies have joined forces in an initiative to battle counterfeit drugs. INTERPOL announced the creation of the Pharmaceutical Crime Programme to further build on the work of its Medical Product Counterfeiting and Pharmaceutical Crime (MPCPC) unit. The program is funded by $5.9 million (EUR $4.5 million) from pharmaceutical industry partners. According to a press release, the program will focus on the prevention of all types of pharmaceutical crime, including branded and generic drug counterfeiting as well as the identification and dismantling of organized crime networks linked to drug counterfeiting.

“Both brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals are susceptible to counterfeiting, putting patient lives at risk,” said Haruo Naito, president and CEO of Eisai, in the release. “This is why we have joined our colleagues across the biopharmaceutical industry to partner with INTERPOL and expand the work of its Medical Product Counterfeiting and Pharmaceutical Crime Unit. We fully support INTERPOL's decision to establish a comprehensive initiative that will enhance its efforts to prevent medical product counterfeiting and pharmaceutical crime. Ultimately, this is about protecting patients around the world.”