Draft

Immediate Steps and Long-Term Programs to be Implemented by the Private and Public Sectors to Fight Against Counterfeit Drugs on the Russian Pharmaceutical Market

Private Sector Responsibilities

The private sector should take the following immediate steps:

• lobby through its business associations proposed by the RF Ministry of Health Federal Law "On Amendments and Modifications to the Federal Law "On Medicines", the RF Criminal Code and the RSFSR Code on Administrative Law Violations" focusing on:
  - counterfeit medicine definition;
  - requirement of physical destruction of counterfeit medicines;
  - increase of fines for storage and distribution of counterfeit medicines;
  - introduction of a 3-year imprisonment penalty for storage & distribution of counterfeit medicine;
  
• strengthen coordination, integration and cooperation among business and professional organizations to implement lobbying policies;
  · encourage private companies to fully execute their rights and responsibilities under existing legislation:
  - register trademarks and patents;
  - use registered trademarks and patents;
  - register their trademarks with the RF State Customs Committee;
  - use all administrative and legal procedures with Rospatent, RF Anti-Monopoly Ministry, Ministry of Internal Affairs and court system to fight "Bad Faith" and look-alike registrations;
  
• cooperate and assist the development of an effective and efficient Pharmaceutical Inspection Service by providing information, experience from other markets and training, etc;
  
• raise the issue of IPR protection on the pharmaceutical market within the framework of WTO accession negotiations.

The Private sector should implement the following long-term programs:

• maintain public awareness of the growing problem of counterfeit drugs in Russia;
  
• encourage educational and training programs for medical professionals, consumers and distributors;
  
• introduce new marking or special anti-tampering devices to thwart counterfeiting.

Public Sector Responsibilities

The Public sector should take the following immediate steps:

• raise political will to combat counterfeit medicines;
  
• make the fight against counterfeit medicines in Russia the number one priority in the government healthcare programs;
  
• facilitate the adoption and enactment of proposed by RF Ministry of Health Federal Law "On Amendments and Modifications to the Federal Law "On Medicines", the RF Criminal Code and the RSFSR Code on Administrative Law Violations."

The public sector should implement the following long-term programs:

• develop the newly established Pharmaceutical Inspection in cooperation with Industry;
  
• leverage the potential of the Inter-Ministerial Commission to fight counterfeit drugs;
  
• establish an effective communications network with all retailers, producers, and distributors and consumers' organizations to share information regarding counterfeit medicines distribution channels.
  

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