Pharmaceutical Crime

The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL)

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I.- Introduction to the Organization

The INTERPOL is the largest international police organization in the world. With 194 member countries, high technology of infrastructure, it works to make the world a safer place. Its vision is “connecting police for a safer world” and its mission is “preventing and fighting crime through enhanced cooperation and innovation on police and security manners”. INTERPOL’s constitutions prohibit any interventions or activities of a political, military, religious, or racial character. It has representative offices at the African Union, the European Union, and the United Nations. The INTERPOL works each country’s existing laws and taking into account the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Even where diplomatic relationships do not exist between countries, the INTERPOL aims to facilitate the international police organization. Furthermore, it functions under international law and it is recognized as an international organization by the United Nations.

 

It is important to realyze that INTERPOL’s income comes from contributions by each of the countries that are part of this organization. Therefore, any country that wishes to, can give extra monetary or in-kind contributions. The INTERPOL also receives external fundings from public or private entities. All of these funding supports are arranged into a sub-account.

 

The INTERPOL is tackling critical issues divided in four main areas: terrorism, organized crime, police capacity and fragile states. The actions are then taken and divided into other four main areas such as: creating partnerships, raising awareness, developing research capacity and conducting fundraising campaigns. One of the seven objectives that is being now taken care of is preventing the manufacturing of illicit goods and medical products.

 

II.- Introduction to the Problem

The manufacture, trade, and distribution of unauthentic, stolen or illegal pharmaceuticals are a major threat to the public health and the common order. Unfortunately, access to drugs has increased over the last few decades due to the Internet. These fake drugs can either have no active ingredient, a different active ingredient or they can have an inaccurate dose of the active ingredient. These unknown substances can manifest in the body in different ways, either no effect or at worst, death. Fake medical devices, can also be detrimental to human health in many different ways.

 

Over the last decade, INTERPOL has identified a significant increase in the manufacture and distribution of fake, counterfeit medicines and medical devices. Unfortunately, patients all over the world put themselves at risk when they unknowingly consume said drugs and/or use the devices. The World Health Organization (WHO) with the help of INTERPOL has estimated that about 1% of the drug market in first world countries -such as The United States of America- is made up of illegal, fake or counterfeit drugs. In the other hand, countries in Southeast Asia and East Africa are 30 times more likely to be affected than The United States.

 

The INTERPOL considers this issue critical and believes that international cooperation is crucial to eradicating it.

 

III.- Further Questions to think about

1. How does my country’s economy rely on these products?

2. How is my country helping to solve this problem?

3. Is my country giving enough resources to eradicate this? Or is it economically unavailable? 

   1. What is another way my country can help?

4. How is this problem affecting my country? Economically?

5. If my country is not affected by this problem, will it still help to solve it?

 

IV.- Works Cited

International Police Criminal Police Organization - INTERPOL “Skills and Knowledge” https://www.interpol.int/Crime-areas/Pharmaceutical-crime/Skills-and-knowledge

 

United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime UNODC “The Illicit Trafficking of Counterfeit Goods and Transnational Organized Crime”

https://www.unodc.org/documents/counterfeit/FocusSheet/Counterfeit_focussheet_EN_HIRES.pdf

 

International Police Criminal Police Organization - INTERPOL “About INTERPOL”

https://www.interpol.int/en