Adamos Adamou (GUE/NGL, Cyprus) described the Internet as a "Trojan horse" in the medicines supply chain that the Commission has left the Parliament to deal with.
He said there were a number of flaws in the proposed directive, including the failure to provide a definition of counterfeit medicines and the omission of excipients such as the capsules used to package active ingredients.
Adamou said he had drafted amendments which would extend the scope of the directive to include over-the-counter medicines and to harmonise safety features on medicine packaging.
"Today, there is no guarantee of buying safe medicines. Counterfeit medicines are a form of terrorism against human health. It doesn't matter whether a pill contains sugar or poison. If the safety is compromised, so is our health," he said.
Severe penalties for counterfeiting and measures designed to raise public awareness of illegal drug supplies are also expected to be added as the directive makes its way through the Parliament.
Adamou, who is rapporteur on counterfeit medicines in the committee on environment, public health and food safety (ENVI), said he is ready to propose amendments and move the directive through the committee stage as soon as possible. However, he said it is unlikely to be passed in the current parliamentary term.
Appearing before the ENVI committee, Commission Vice-President Günter Verheugen acknowledged Adamou's concerns on counterfeit drugs originating from online sales, but stressed that Internet pharmacies are already regulated. New legislation would not be needed if member states were simply to enforce existing laws, he said.
"Many Internet pharmacies are governed by the same rules as high street pharmacies. If you think some are operating as a front, that's where monitoring has to come in. It's up to member states to effect monitoring controls," said Verhuegen.
