Enforcement

Thanks largely to educational and awareness training and lobbying efforts of the pharmaceutical industry in which Novartis has played a leading role, many governments are increasing their efforts against counterfeit medicines.

A growing number of countries are recognizing that collaboration between different governmental agencies and between the public and private sector is an effective weapon to combat counterfeiting and other pharmaceutical crime.

In many countries there has been a noticeable increase in the activities of law enforcement and drug regulatory agencies in the fight against counterfeit medicines with particular emphasis on warehouses, clinics and pharmacies trading in illegal and counterfeit medicines.

Increased efforts at improved international coordination in the fight against counterfeit medicines have also intensified. As a result there has been a significant increase in the seizures of counterfeit pharmaceuticals in many parts of the world and the arrest and prosecution of offenders.

Novartis has cooperated with law enforcement agencies across the globe in investigations that have resulted in the seizure of large amounts of Novartis counterfeit products and those of other pharmaceutical laboratories, counterfeit packaging materials and illicit manufacturing equipment and raw materials.