Pharmacy Daily | Pharmacists test German drug imports

PHARMACEUTICAL data firm IMS Health has enlisted the help of pharmacists across Germany to help estimate the value of “parallel imports” in which medications are brought into the country via alternative distribution methods. The controversial research project involves pharmacists being equipped with digital cameras and asked to take photos of the packaging of products on their dispensary shelves. The Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reports they’re asked to take pictures of the cardboard boxes that medications come in from three sides, which will help IMS Health determine where they came from - along with a special chart for decoding batch numbers. They have to then send the camera’s memory chip back to IMS once a month in return for monetary incentives which amount to up to $1900 a year - while they’re also told that “If you support our project, you support better service for patients”. The importation survey is controversial because according to the report IMS is planning to use the data to help drugmakers reduce parallel imports - which affects their margins - despite the practice being totally legal. However IMS has defended the move, saying it’s also a key method of detecting the proliferation of fake medications in the German medicines supply chain. Importers are not happy about the plan because it may affect their ability to source cheaper drugs.

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