January newsletter in 60 seconds

Think of the word ‘counterfeit’ and your mind is likely to conjure up images of poorly made electronic goods, branded merchandise missing a letter or two, or market traders selling goods whose prices seem too good to be true.

But what about death? Yes, unfortunate as it is, there can be a strong link between fake medicine and the loss of life, which is clearly why counterfeit pharmaceutical products must be combated more quickly and comprehensively than other fakes.

Aided by the internet, the sale and distribution of rogue pills and treatments has become not only more widespread, but more difficult to eradicate. Authorities such as the World Customs Organization (WCO) are doing an impressive job of trying to clean up the market (as you will read in this issue), but the scale of the challenge facing them is huge.