The Universidad Santiago de Cali and the pharmaceutical company Genfar signed an inter-institutional cooperation agreement focused on training in the legal trade of medicines. The agreement focuses on the academic training of students of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Regency, as well as the training of pharmaceutical staff of large distribution chains.
This is the Diploma in Fraudulent Pharmaceutical Trade, which will begin its new cycle on August 20. This course will feature the participation of experts from both institutions, with the aim of improving the skills of pharmaceutical staff and pharmacy managers, as well as combating the fraudulent drug market. The program will last approximately three and a half months.
“This year, the university has been chosen to establish this important agreement, due to its recognized contribution to research and for being one of the most outstanding institutions in southwestern Colombia,” says Agustín Vincent, general manager of Genfar.
For his part, Carlos Andrés Pérez Galindo, rector of the Universidad Santiago de Cali, assures that “with this new alliance it will be a magnificent contribution to the strengthening of higher education and will result in very positive and mutually beneficial results.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) recently issued a warning about the importance of avoiding the purchase and consumption of counterfeit medicines, since they endanger the health of patients. According to the organization, These products may contain zero or incorrect amounts of active ingredients, posing a serious risk to public health.
“Procuring medicines only through authorized pharmacies and under the supervision of health professionals is crucial to ensure the safety and efficacy of treatment,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
The WHO also points out that when medicines do not work as they should, they not only fail to treat or prevent diseases, but they also cause a loss of confidence in medicines and in health care providers. This equation generates a negative socioeconomic impact, contributing to the loss of productivity and adding costs to health systems.
According to data from the International Research Institute against Counterfeiting of Medicines (IRACM), Colombia is among the ten countries that produce and sell the most counterfeit medicines.