In this edition of our Voices of Collaboration series, we turn our attention to the important role of cooperation between medicines verification organisations and law enforcement in the fight against falsified medicines.
Protecting patients from falsified medicines requires coordinated action across multiple areas. While the National Medicines Verification System (NMVS) plays an important role in protecting the legal medicines supply chain, cooperation with law enforcement authorities is essential when information and expertise are needed to support investigations into potential criminal activity.
Over the years, OSMR has maintained a strong working relationship with the Romanian Police, providing support and information on specific topics where data or input from the National Medicines Verification System can contribute to their work.
This cooperation also creates opportunities for dialogue and knowledge sharing. In 2024, Mr. Răzvan Marinică, Chief Police Commissioner within the Directorate for Economic Crime Investigation of the Romanian Police, joined OSMR’s Face-to-Face Gathering with Software Providers, contributing to discussions around the role of medicines verification and the challenges associated with falsified medicines.
More recently, he participated in this year OSMR’s event, Patient Safety through Medicines Safety, where he highlighted the importance of strengthening the legal framework and international cooperation in the fight against falsified medicines, including Romania’s potential accession to the MEDICRIME Convention.
He also underlined how the implementation of the medicines serialization project has strengthened the tools available to combat falsified medicines. Before the system was in place, identifying and tackling certain forms of falsified medicines activity was more challenging. Today, the verification infrastructure provides an additional layer of protection and a valuable source of information within the legal medicines supply chain.
As Mr. Marinică highlights: “I hope that the MEDICRIME Convention will be incorporated into the Romanian legal framework, providing a clear legal framework for offences involving falsified medicines. At present, the dynamics and complexity of today’s market call for the continuous adaptation and greater specificity of the legal instruments available.”
The cooperation between OSMR and the Romanian Police demonstrates the importance of connecting expertise from different areas. Medicines verification and law enforcement each have a distinct role to play, but their impact is stronger when information, knowledge and experience are shared.
