Counterfeit drugs - Bristol Myers Squibb

Global position statement on counterfeit medicines

Key takeaway messages

Counterfeit medicines are produced and sold with the intent to deceptively represent their origin, effectiveness or authenticity — a serious global health issue. Counterfeit healthcare products place people at risk of adverse events, which include serious health problems and potentially death.
At BMS, we aim to protect those who use our products by maintaining our products’ integrity, and we believe the trade in counterfeit healthcare products should be eliminated. BMS remains highly committed to preserving product integrity and patient safety as part of our mission to help patients prevail over serious diseases. Counterfeit drugs, theft and diversion represent serious threats to patients and can interfere with our ability to provide customers with effective and high-quality products.
BMS believes that only a multi-faceted and multi-stakeholder approach can effectively combat counterfeit and falsified medicines and protect patients. This includes governments passing laws, law enforcement agencies applying them, all actors in the supply chain working hard to ensure its integrity, consumers sourcing medicines from the approved channels and the public generally being aware of the risks.
BMS has a role to play in ensuring the integrity of its supply chain and providing effective mitigation against its being penetrated by falsified medicines. To that end, BMS employs a number of tools such as unique packaging features and serialization, as well as proactive monitoring and the professional investigation of incidents. All of these efforts are managed in a way that supports and exchanges information with regulatory agencies, law enforcement and the public. Moreover, these efforts are constantly being reviewed and improved to take advantage of innovative practices and to address the increasing complexity of the threat.

While there is no single solution to this issue, we have efforts in place to help ensure the quality and integrity of our products within the supply chain and further patient safety:

An integrated team that addresses counterfeiting, product tampering, theft and diversion issues
Security technologies to make our packaging and products less vulnerable to counterfeiting and to secure their movement within the supply chain
Participation in industry coalitions and organizations addressing this issue
Collaboration with supply chain vendors and law enforcement agencies on product security matters

U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Counterfeit Medicines

Partnership for Safe Medicines

Learn About Counterfeit Drugs Around the Globe

The Pharmaceutical Security Institute (Not supported in Internet Explorer)

Buying Prescription Medicine Online: A Consumer Safety Guide

Drug Supply Chain Integrity

Cargo Theft

Counterfeit Drugs and Travel

What is a counterfeit medicine?