The first monitoring report on the implementation of the Convention on the Counterfeiting of Medical Products and Similar Crimes Involving Threats to Public Health (MEDICRIME Convention) highlights how 13 of the 23 State Parties to the Convention (*) applied its provisions, with a particular focus on actions taken relating to COVID-19.
The report evaluates measures taken across eight key areas: prevention, training, victim protection, cooperation, detection, investigation, sanctions, and data collection. By comparing approaches adopted by State Parties, it identifies best practices and provides recommendations to address existing gaps.
The report provides recommendations for enhancing public health protection and underscores the importance of cooperation among all stakeholders, including civil society. Despite pandemic-related challenges, State Parties have stepped up efforts to raise public awareness about the risks of counterfeit medical products and the dangers of purchasing medicines, medical devices and other medical products from unauthorised online platforms.
The report marks a key milestone in reinforcing the enforcement of the MEDICRIME Convention and improving safeguards against falsified medical products, particularly during public health emergencies.
(*) Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Hungary, Morocco, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Spain, Switzerland and Türkiye.
