The Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) is a European Directive which purpose is to protect the health and safety of patients, by reducing the risk of counterfeit pharmaceuticals entering the established medicines supply chain.
This will apply to all manufacturers, wholesales, distributors and everyone involved in this supply chain to allow the verification of the authenticity of a medicinal product.
Falsified ‘fake’ medicines may contain poor quality ingredients or of the wrong strength that could lead to an increase of disease and potential fatalities on a global scale.
To comply with the FMD, pharmaceutical companies must ensure the following are part of their dispensing process:
The final phase is being rolled out in February 2019 however the EU recommends companies review their dispensing processes and ensure the right procedures are in place for compliance with the FMD.