Falsified, stolen, expired, relabelled and non-authorised medical products can easily be found in different countries, in situations of crisis or during epidemics.

The extent of the problem is not quantifiable because the falsification is, by its illegal nature, a clandestine phenomenon whose figures are only estimations which may not necessarily be accurate. Organised criminal networks control both the production and trade of falsified medical products and similar crimes. Due to the ever-growing increase of these falsified products and similar crimes in the supply chain by unscrupulous criminal organised groups operating across borders and the low risk level of deterrence, there is a real need to harmonize legislation and put in place dissuasive penalties proportional to the harm suffered by patients.

Aimed at preventing falsified medical products entering the supply chain, an integrated multi-stakeholders approach (justice, health, law-enforcement and customs) should be established to set-up, strengthen and implement a strong legislative framework, which may, on the one side, be able to criminalise falsification-related crimes and, on the other side, respond with effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions including criminal or non-criminal monetary sanctions and other responses. It is only through such strong co-operation between all actors involved in the fight against falsified medical products that this scourge could be tackled.

The importance and urgency to deal with these issues became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The main objective of this multiregional project (NA-FAMED) is to provide technical assistance and support Council of Europe member States, and other countries, to fight against the falsification of medical products and similar crimes.

The NA-FAMED project is structured around three components:

• Promotion of the MEDICIRME Convention;
• Gap analysis aiming to improve and strengthen legal, regulatory and policy frameworks;
• Identification of the legal and procedural issues leading to criminalization of the production and trade of falsified medical products and similar crimes.

DURATION

16 September 2020 - 14 July 2021