24.10.2011

SPEECH BY MR MEVLÜT ÇAVUŞOĞLU,

PRESIDENT OF THE PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY,

FOR THE INTERNATIONAL HIGH-LEVEL CONFERENCE

ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING FOR SIGNATURE

OF THE COUNCIL OF EUROPE CONVENTION ON COUNTERFEITING OF MEDICAL PRODUCTS

AND SIMILAR CRIMES INVOLVING THREATS TO PUBLIC HEALTH (MEDICRIME CONVENTION)

MOSCOW, 26-28 October 2011

Minister Golikova,

Honourable guests,

Dear colleagues,

Today we are opening for signature a convention that was long needed – the Medicrime convention. It aims to protect people from the counterfeiting of drugs and other similar threats to their health.

First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to praise the Russian Federation for having acted as one of the driving forces behind the idea of having this convention, and for hosting this conference today – which will result in the long-awaited opening for signature of this important convention tomorrow.

Counterfeit medicines, are, literally, fake. Counterfeit medicines may contain no active ingredient, or the wrong one, or the right ingredient but at the wrong dose. These medicines may also be contaminated. In short, they are unsafe and a threat to public health.

Counterfeiting medicines is one of the most hideous crimes, as it preys on peoples’ weaknesses and vulnerability.

Fake drugs do not cure. They raise false hopes and make those in need of cure even more vulnerable as time and money to fight the disease are lost.

Even worse, fake drugs can kill.

Unfortunately, fake drugs are flooding the market.

The lack of legal safeguards, the increased globalisation of drug trafficking, and sales over the Internet have made access to fake drugs easy. The World Health Organization estimates that half of all drugs supplied over the Internet are counterfeit and that there are even cases where the legitimate supply chain has been infiltrated. I share the concern of both the industry and civil society with the dramatic increase in the proliferation of fake drugs.

We are gathered here to say clearly to those who intend to profit from legal loopholes to make profits with counterfeit medicines that this will no longer be possible!

The lives and the health of people cannot be sacrificed for the sake of illegal earnings by a handful of criminals. This is what this convention is about.

We have a common mission: to ensure the safety and efficacy of medical products, and to secure the increasingly complex global supply chain that so many of our drugs navigate before they arrive in our pharmacies and hospitals.

We must also do everything possible to protect the rights of victims of counterfeit medicines.

In January this year the members of the Assembly welcomed the adoption of the Convention by the Committee of Ministers.

Parliamentarians stressed, in a written declaration, that the Medicrime Convention, for the first time, criminalises the counterfeiting, manufacturing and supplying of medical products placed on the market without authorisation or without being in compliance with security requirements.

The Medicrime convention highlights the complexity of the problems related to the proliferation of counterfeit medicines. It stresses the need to establish close cooperation between a great number of professionals, from medical doctors and pharmacists to those dealing with customs clearance and prevention of economic fraud.

It also highlights the important role played by public health agencies. These agencies must act with determination to prevent counterfeiting and other crimes involving threats to public health before they occur.

Ultimately, it is about our peoples’ right to health. This is why this Convention is only the first step in the right direction. Our work to secure the right to health must continue: We must ensure respect to the right to benefit from any measures enabling people to enjoy the highest possible standard of health attainable.

In June this year, the Assembly called for a new protocol to the revised European Social Charter on the right to health, including the right to a healthy, clean and safe environment.

I strongly believe that the Medicrime convention, for which we are gathered today, is a great stepping stone towards creating a comprehensive legal framework to protect the health of 800 million European citizens.

I welcome the fact the Medicrime convention is open for signature, in addition to the Council of Europe member states, to the European Union, the states which have participated in its elaboration or those enjoying observer status with the Council of Europe, such as Japan and Israel, and any other non-member state, upon invitation by the Committee of Ministers.

This is particularly important as it gives meaning to the Council od Europe’s Neighbourhood Policy aiming to make the Council of Europe play a stronger role in promoting democracy and human rights in countries of the South Mediterranean, North Africa and Central Asia. The Parliamentary Assembly is also contributing to this objective through a new status of Partnership for Democracy, allowing Parliaments of non-member states, sharing our values and subscribing to our standards, to participate in our work. This year, the Parliament of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Palestinian National Council have received the Partnership status, and we expect a formal request from the Parliament of Kirgizstan very soon. I am personally convinced that accession to Council of Europe’s convention is a very efficient way of promoting our values and standards beyond the frontiers of Europe.

Dear colleagues,

This is a landmark convention, which I hope will bring great improvements in the lives of millions of Europeans.

Therefore, as many states as possible should ratify the Medicrime convention without delay. Moreover, all the necessary resources must be put at the disposal of the monitoring body of the Convention to allow for full oversight over its implementation by States Parties once it has come into force.

I can assure you that the Parliamentary Assembly stands ready to promote the Medicrime convention to make sure that all our member states ratify it as soon as possible.

Finally, I would like to wish all those present at this conference great success.

Thank you.