Washington, D.C. (March 11, 2011) - Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) President and CEO John J. Castellani today issued the following statement:
"PhRMA supports and commends the Administration for its commitment to protecting patient health and safety by safeguarding the closed U.S. drug supply system from the global counterfeit medicine epidemic.
"In a recent report to Vice President Joe Biden and the Congress, the Counterfeit Pharmaceutical Inter-Agency Working Group recognized that the government cannot wait for a full-blown crisis before taking action on the growing counterfeit medicine threat. We echo this message and have long stated that we must collectively do everything we can to put a stop to this alarming global trend.
"As outlined in the report, the U.S. government's renewed emphasis on collaboration, information sharing, education and enforcement - as it relates to counterfeit pharmaceuticals - is warmly welcomed. The role of the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator in shaping this strategic, comprehensive, organized and coordinated U.S. government response to combating counterfeit medicines internationally cannot be understated.
"America's biopharmaceutical research companies remain committed to working with the Administration, Congress and other stakeholders to help tackle this international public health problem."
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The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $45.8 billion in 2009 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $65.3 billion in 2009.