Toning down its earlier stand on counterfeit drugs issue, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) has categorically spelled that the generic medicines cannot be branded as spurious and intellectual property rights issue cannot be mixed up with generic drugs.

And significantly, the top brass of PhRMA also specified that the organisation is against any move to redefine the word of `counterfeit’ as suggested by the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce (IMPACT). This was disclosed by a delegation including PhRMA executive vice-president and the chief operating officer Christopher A Singer, after holding discussions with a number of ministers, stakeholders and top officials in India recently.

Not backing up the moves like framing new legislations to check counterfeit drugs as done in some African countries, Singer said the issue was to ensure the quality and safety of drugs and it could be done through partnerships between many stakeholders.

“We are working with the governments all over the world on the counterfeit issue. We should not confuse or equate generics with counterfeit drugs. Generics are useful and valuable and have their significant role. Even our member companies are also into generics. The IP issue is also totally different from the spurious drugs issue,” he said, without giving any specific comment on whether India is a major source of spurious drugs as claimed by a section of the international media.

 When fake drugs are seized, indirectly the names of PhRMA member companies are also involved as these vicious manufacturers try to fake the original brand names and drugs, thus causing damage to the innovator companies, according to the organisation leaders.

PhRMA, representing the multinational companies, has been accused of piloting the moves to redefine the word of counterfeit through IMPACT at the WHO forum but the developing countries led by India and Brazil thwarted the attempt. It was also alleged that the multinationals were trying to choke the generic trade by prompting African countries to legislate fresh laws which almost bracketed generics with spurious drugs.