Need to tackle parallel imports identified by think-tank
A fresh approach to parallel trading of medicines is needed, according to the Social Market Foundation.
In a report published this week, the think-tank said that despite financial
benefits to the NHS, the complexity of how parallel imports are supplied
could create problems. These included introducing a risk of human error
when imported medicines were re-packaged, compromising the ability of
regulatory authorities to recall medicines and making it difficult to
stop counterfeiting of medicines.
Niall MacLean, research fellow at the SMF, commented: “Some sources
estimate that a product can change hands 20 to 30 times before it reaches
the patient. This can make it difficult to track and recall batches of
drugs when there are concerns about their safety.” He added that
pharmacists were sometimes left with little information when assessing
the integrity of a pack because many of the features applied by manufacturers
(such as tamper-proof seals) had been lost.
“Parallel traders should stop removing medicines from their original
boxes and should instead place a new box over the unopened original box,” he
said.
Another recommendation made in the report is that the Government should
introduce a choice for patients to accept or reject a parallel imported
medicine at the pharmacy. “This is in order to assist those patients
whom may be confused, alarmed or at risk of non-compliance by the use
of an imported medicine.”
It also suggests that the pharmaceutical industry should make products
easier to trace, perhaps by using radio-frequency identification chips
on packs.
The UK has the highest level of parallel trading in the European Union,
with approximately one in five medicines dispensed for patients being
a parallel import. |
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Pharmaceutical Journal
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