Partnership for Safe Medicines launches Chinese arm

The US-based Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) has launched a second sister organisation as it continues its battle against counterfeiting of medicinal products.

PSM China was launched in Beijing at the end of last month and - like the PSM and PSM India which was set up in 2010 - aims to mobilise and educate stakeholders to keep the public safe from counterfeit drugs.

"China's resolve in protecting its citizens from the dangers of counterfeit drugs has yielded great results and shows tremendous potential for the future," commented Bai Huiliang, chairman of PSM China, at the launch event.

"With the help of our partners, PSM China will support the Chinese Government's efforts to enhance drug safety and improve public health," he added.

China has taken many positive steps to stop drug counterfeiters and protect its people, said PSM's Scott LaGanga. For example, in August, the Chinese government arrested nearly 2,000 people suspected of manufacturing and selling counterfeit medicines and seized nearly $182m in fake drugs.

Welcoming the move, John Lechleiter, chief executive of Eli Lilly, said: "The biopharmaceutical industry applauds the PSM China initiative as an innovative solution to protect patients and improve drug safety."

"Make no mistake: pharmaceutical counterfeiting - and drug safety in general - is not China's problem, or the task of any one country," he added.

"It is a shared global public health priority, and, therefore, a domestic concern in the US, EU, China, and many other countries all over the world. And one resounding lesson is that we can all benefit by working together."