Survey on Web Contents Available for Education about Falsified Medicines

Abstract

Objective: Crimes related to falsified medicines for medical use are of international concern and becoming increasingly sophisticated. Therefore, in this study, we investigated information on education and training/enlightenment activities on falsified medicines worldwide that are open to the public on the Internet to contribute to medical/pharmaceutical professionals’ and consumers’ education regarding falsified medicines in Japan.

Methods: In April 2023, we searched the information written in English and Japanese on education and training/enlightenment activities on falsified medicines using the Internet.

Results: We surveyed several countries and obtained important findings. In particular, the World Medical Association (WMA), the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP), and the World Health Professions Alliance (WHPA) released programs for healthcare professionals. The US news programs, the US Department of Justice, and the Council of Europe released consumer warning videos. Japan issued the “Guidelines for Good Distribution Practice (GDP)” to the pharmaceutical distribution industry in 2018. Additionally, US and UK medicine regulators and the International Criminal Police Organization (ICPO) offered programs for professionals such as police and customs officers, and public prosecutors.

Conclusion: These programs contain useful information not only for medical/pharmaceutical professionals in Japan but also for consumers. However, many are provided by foreign governments or international organizations, while few are from Japan. Therefore, to prevent the distribution of falsified medicine in Japan, educational institutions must further strengthen education and training/enlightenment activities and develop and publish educational tools for falsified medicines.