The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 272 No 7301 p686
29 May 2004

Society summary

Public needs help to distinguish between licensed and unlicensed medicinal products

Support for efforts by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate to help the public benefit from being better able to distinguish authorised medicinal products from unlicensed products was urged by the branch representatives' meeting.

Proposing the motion, Michael Jepson (Birmingham) said that pharmacists took for granted their own knowledge of the benefits that lay behind the grant of a marketing authorisation. However, many members of the public were unaware of the rigorous requirements designed to safeguard and benefit them. How did a person readily recognise an unlicensed product, supported by dubious and, in some cases, illegal promotion breaching the definition of an authorised medicinal product?

The VMD and MHRA needed a stronger public profile to get their safety messages across. The motion aimed to help the public recognise the benefits of the system of medicinal product licensing.

The motion was seconded and carried.