Tackling One of the Most Critical Threats: Counterfeit Drugs (with Rory Corcoran, Assistant Director, Organized and Emerging Crime Directorate, INTERPOL, repost of November 2021)

Brand & New

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Over these last few months, public authorities have warned citizens about the alarming increase in the lethality and availability of counterfeit prescription pills. These counterfeit drugs are mass-produced by criminal drug networks in labs, deceptively marketed as legitimate pills, and sometimes even killing unsuspecting or vulnerable individuals.

Fueled by easy Internet sales, global supply routes, and minimal effective punishments, counterfeit prescription drugs have become an exploding industry worth over US $75 billion a year worldwide, and at the same time, a massive economic, social, and public health issue. This trend has been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic, which fueled a global demand for medical supplies and medications.

What is the reality of this underground market at the global scale? How big of a threat are fake medications? What are the impacts, from an economic perspective as well as social and healthcare perspectives? What is the role of international organizations such as Interpol, focused on fighting criminal acts?

Our guest is Rory Corcoran, Assistant Director, Organized and Emerging Crime Directorate, INTERPOL, the global network of police forces representing 194 member countries, making it the world’s largest police organization, sharing data on crimes and criminals.

Mr. Corcoran joined INTERPOL in 2018 and is now responsible for overseeing several of its organized crimes programs, including Environmental Security, and Illicit Goods and Global Health. Most recently, he has been in charge of leading INTERPOL’s worldwide fight against COVID-19-related crime. He has over 30 years of experience in law enforcement and spent the majority of his career in the Irish Counter Terrorism Unit and the Irish National Economic Crime Bureau.

Brand & New is a production of the International Trademark Association
Hosted by Audrey Dauvet
Contribution of M. Halle & S. Lagedamond - Music by JD Beats
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT INTA.ORG
To go further:
About Rory Corcoran: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rory-c-051685195/
Also of interest:
Fake medicines (interpol.int)
INTA Report: Addressing the Sale of Counterfeits on the Internet: https://www.inta.org/wp-content/uploads/public-files/advocacy/committee-reports/Addressing_the_Sale_of_Counterfeits_on_the_Internet_June_2021_edit.pdf

Fake drugs: How bad is Africa’s counterfeit medicine problem? - BBC News

DEA Issues Public Safety Alert on Sharp Increase in Fake Prescription Pills Containing Fentanyl and Meth

Global operation sees a rise in fake medical products related to COVID-19 (interpol.int)

Successful drug seizures leaves our community a safer place – Long | Department of Justice (justice-ni.gov.uk)

Counterfeiting of Drugs in Africa: current situation, c&