The Council of Europe MEDICRIME Convention will be presented at the Paris Peace Forum which takes place online from 11 to 13 November. The main message to the Forum is that countries worldwide should take action using the only binding international instrument in this field to combat the falsification of medical products and protect public health, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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 medical products and similar crimes in the supply chain by unscrupulous criminal organised groups operating across borders, combined with the low risk level of deterrence, there is an urgent need to harmonise legislation and put in place dissuasive penalties proportional to the harm suffered by victims. Sustained commitment and efforts from national governments and other stakeholders are therefore required to overcome this concern.
A solid coalition between all actors involved (the judiciary, professionals and law-enforcement authorities) employing cross-sector cooperation is the only way to counter this scourge. In a similar way, a multidisciplinary and multisectoral approach should be used among competent authorities at national and international level in order to successfully combat such crimes. When joining the Convention, governments are assisted in obtaining the right tools, restoring confidence and trust in health care.
Advice on the application of the MEDICRIME Convention in the context on COVID-19
Video message by the Secretary General, Marija Pejčinović Burić
