CIS STATES IN JOINT ANTI-COUNTERFEITING ACTION PLAN

Pharmaceutical companies and officials from Russia, Ukraine and Belarus are to work together to fight the trade in counterfeit drugs in the region. In 2005, 47 different types of fake drugs were found in Russia, compared to 67 in 2004, reflecting the impact of a government crackdown.

Roughly 5% to 10% of pharmaceuticals consumed in Russia are counterfeits, with a recent UN survey describing the country as the fifth-largest producer of fake medicines in the world.

Part of the problem stems from Russia's lax intellectual property rules, which encourage illicit drug manufacturing and are a major sticking point in the country's negotiations to join the WTO. However, tougher penalties for counterfeiters and the introduction of common pharmaceutical market standards across the CIS nations could help combat the spread of fake drugs.