September 2008

EAASM exhibition at the European Parliament

On Tuesday 9 September, the European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines (EAASM) presented its in-depth online purchasing report The Counterfeiting Superhighway to the European Parliament (EP) during an evening reception hosted by Bill Newton Dunn, MEP. Jim Thomson, EAASM Chair, spoke to a highly distinguished audience of over 60 MEPs, patient associations, pharmaceutical industry representatives and other interested stakeholders such as luxury goods representatives and international lawyers. The highly successful evening reception marked the beginning of a week-long exhibition in the EP, where the EAASM displayed some of the ‘medicines’ which were received as part of the online purchasing carried out for The Counterfeiting Superhighway report.

Visitors to the exhibition stand had the opportunity to inspect the so-called prescription only medicines delivered to the EAASM, all of which were purchased without a prescription. MEPs, patient associations and various industry representatives alike were shocked to see that many of the blister packs were dirty on the inside and that some of the packages had been routed through numerous countries such as China, Fiji, India and New Zealand, before being delivered to the UK.

Following the success of the week-long exhibition, Belgian newspaper De Tijd newspaper ran a special issue about the problem of counterfeit medicines and the dangers of buying medicines online. The EAASM’s recent report, which revealed that a shocking 62% of medicines bought online are counterfeit or substandard, featured in this special issue of the Belgian daily newspaper, which is read by 130,000 readers. During the reception, Bill Newton Dunn was interviewed for British radio – further evidence that the EAASM’s messages continue to be heard by the public throughout Europe.

EAASM short-listed for a PMEA award

The EAASM has been short-listed for a prestigious Pharmaceutical Marketing Effectiveness Award (PMEA). Making the final of an award for excellence in European marketing campaigns highlights the success of the EAASM in communicating with different groups of stakeholders, especially patients. The award ceremony will be held on 2 December and will be attended by Jim Thomson and Dr Ian Banks.