New EU rules to combat fake pharmaceuticals

Speaking to Radio Active, Arturos Isseyeg, director of the Cyprus Medicines Verification Agency said that the regulation covers every packet of medicine bought by consumers at pharmacies. These now have unique serial number.

Before reaching the consumer, the medicine goes through special software installed at the computer of each pharmacy to ensure that it is genuine. The aim is to ensure that the medicine being bought has been made by a legal manufacturer.

The regulation provides for a series of measures that must be taken by holders of pharmaceuticals’ licences to ensure they are genuine, as well as by wholesales and those who are licensed to sell to the public and who must validate the security features are there.

On selling a medicine, the pharmacist must examine whether the packet has been tampered with in any way and using 2D barcode reader and specialised software on his computer cancel out the unique bar code before it is given to the patient.

This ensures that the medicine going to the patient is genuine.