Abstract

VAZQUEZ-MOURELLE, Raquel; RODRIGUEZ COSTA, Elia; POSE REINO, José Manuel  and  CADORNIGA VALINO, Luis. The Reverse Traffic of Drugs Phenomenon: experience in Galicia, Spain. Rev. Esp. Salud Publica [online]. 2015, vol.89, n.5, pp.431-445. ISSN 2173-9110.  https://dx.doi.org/10.4321/S1135-57272015000500002.

IInter-state movement of drugs between EU countries by pharmaceutical companies and distribution warehouses is a permitted activity called parallel trade. As Spain is among the states with lower price of these products, its main activity is shipping to other countries; however, a phenomenon has emerged in acquiring drugs for this purpose, called "reverse traffic" that develops without observing the health regulations in the legal distribution channel in our country; in which, the pharmaceutical distribution warehouses, rather than getting drugs from other pharmaceutical companies or pharmaceutical distribution warehouses under the current legislation, obtain them from community pharmacies, thus reversing the legal supply circuit, as this drugs do not end dispensed to the public. This paper studies the risks to public health caused by these practices, detailing the results of health inspections in Galicia, where in relation to the total pharmaceutical establishments sanctioning procedures in the period 2011-2014, were sanctioned for this reason 15 community pharmacies and 5 distribution warehouses, the maximum fines belonging to a network consisting of a pharmaceutical distribution warehouse, with a 1,000,000 € fine and closure for 3 years, and 4 community pharmacies, with 2,400,000 € total fine; It also specifies the methodology of action, identifies the scene of illegal acquisition to make this trade with the greatest economic benefits, highlights the strengths of the success and further action to improve its approach.

Keywords : Drug Trafficking; Prescription drug diversión; Counterfeit Drugs; Supply and Distribution; Commerce; Pharmacies; Government Regulation; Legislation Pharmacy; Drug Industry; legislation drug; punishment.

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