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In response to rising concerns by government and the business community,
the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has
launched a project to assess the effects of counterfeiting and piracy on
economies. The objective of the project is to improve factual understanding
and awareness of the effects that counterfeiting and piracy of intellectual
property rights have on governments, business and consumers. This project
will focus on counterfeit and pirated products from an intellectual property
perspective (i.e. tangible products that infringe trademarks, copyrights,
patents and design rights.
Within this project, a number of sectoral case studies will be conducted,
illustrating the various forms of counterfeiting and piracy, and the effects
on producers, consumers and governments. The pharmaceutical sector has been
identified, since counterfeiting of medicines has significant safety,
health, social and economic implications. A sector report on the
counterfeiting and piracy of pharmaceuticals will be part of the OECD
project. A separate and second report focusing solely on the counterfeiting
of pharmaceuticals, from a broader, public-health perspective, is also being
produced. The report will examine the diverse definitions of counterfeit
pharmaceuticals, the nature and scope of counterfeiting activities, and the
procedures used. It will assess the trends and magnitude, evaluate the
impacts on patients/consumers (especially public health implications) on the
private sector and on governments. It will analyse measures employed for
combating counterfeiting of pharmaceuticals. Anticipated publication in
2007.
Source:
OECD Health Update, Issue No.3, May 2007
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