The Siracusa International Institute for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, on the impulse of the International Institute of Research against Counterfeit Medicines (IRACM), is the organizer of the third meeting of experts to strengthen “The Fight against Counterfeit Drugs in Francophone Africa”, which will take place from November 27 to 29 at the Siracusa International Institute’s headquarters.
The project currently involves eight African states: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal and Chad and is intended for representatives of the Ministries of the Interior and of Health. 13 participants and 3 speakers are attending the meeting. The working sessions are coordinated by Judge Bernard Leroy, IRACM Director. The first meeting had already been held in November 21-25, 2016, while the second in March 24-26.
Counterfeiting pharmaceuticals is a particularly worrying phenomenon in Africa and threatens the health of millions of people around the world. Counterfeiting medicines has, moreover, become the most profitable source of income for organized crime. The main objective of this project is to help strengthen the fight against counterfeiting while reaching a political consensus for the preparation, adoption and implementation of a comprehensive, modern and adequate national legislation.
