Andrew Wildes, Gleaner Writer 
Patricia Livers (left), general secretary of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, makes a point to Pearline Coper-Sharpe, chief nursing officer at the Ministry of Health. They were at the association's public education forum and campaign launch under the theme 'Raising the Alarm! Counterfeit Drugs Can Harm', held at Emancipation Park, St. Andrew, on Friday night. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer
THE NURSES Association of Jamaica, in conjunction with a coalition of local doctors, pharmacists and the Ministry of Health, on Friday launched a campaign against counterfeit and substandard medicines under the theme 'Raising the alarm! Counterfeit Medicine Can Kill."
"One in 10 medicines sold worldwide is fake, with no medical effect, but generating US$32 billion a year in sales for counterfeit drug dealers," Denese McFarlane, chairperson of the Campaign Committee, told participants during the launch at Emancipation Park in St. Andrew on Friday.
"The drugs that are counterfeit include antibiotics, hormones, analgesic, steroids, fever control medicines, anti-asthma, antihistamines," added Mrs. McFarlane, the 2005-2006 National Nurse of the Year.
She explained that according to cases reported to the World Health Organisation (WHO), developing nations are most at risk.
Counterfeit drugs may or may not be harmful, but the absence of correct medicine could mean severe pain and even death.
Counterfeit drugs are usually products without the necessary active ingredient; products with incorrect qualities of active ingredients, products with wrong ingredients, products with fake packaging, and products with high levels of impurities and contaminants.
During the launch the distinction was made between generic and counterfeit drugs.
Director of the Standards and Regulations Division at the Ministry of Health, Princess Osbourne, assured the public that according to the law generic drugs, which are a cheaper form of a 'brand name' drug, has the same pharmaceutical make up. She noted also that all drugs entering the country legally had to first pass a rigorous approval process, and so drugs that are not sold from sources registered with the health ministry should be avoided.
