US Chamber of Commerce Joins 'Protect Your Pharmacy Now!' ...(of counterfeiting and piracy by working ...),Health

Pharmaceutical industry losses are estimated at $32 billion per year and the World Health Organization notes the prevalence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals ranges from less than 1 percent in developed countries to over 30 percent in developing countries and over 50 percent from illicit websites. Meanwhile, the Center for Medicine in the Public Interest estimates that counterfeit drug commerce will grow 13 percent annually through 2010 and that counterfeit sales are increasing at nearly twice the rate of legitimate pharmaceutical sales.

Counterfeiting and piracy cost the U.S. economy approximately $250 billion per year, have led to the loss of 750,000 American jobs, and needlessly exposes consumers to dangerous and defective products, according to the Global Intellectual Property Center.

This announcement follows the recent partnership between NCPA, Purdue Pharma L.P. and FBI LEEDA (Law Enforcement Executive Development Association) for a "Protect Your Pharmacy Now!" initiative to combat pharmacy crime by improving pharmacy safety and security. The partners declared the week of April 14-18 as "Protect Your Pharmacy Week" and encouraged pharmacists in all practice settings to take steps to protect staff and patients from pharmacy crime, including prescription drug theft. NCPA members received free "Protect Your Pharmacy Now!" toolkits with resources to assist them in improving pharmacy security.

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) represents the nation's community pharmacists, including the owners of more than 23,000 pharmacies. The nation's independent pharmacies, independent pharmacy franchises, and independent chains represent an $84 billion marketplace, employ over 300,000 employees and dispense nearly half of the nation's retail prescription medicines.

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