The World Health Organization and more than 20 international partners are launching a comprehensive package of measures to help national authorities safeguard their populations from the dangers of counterfeit medicines.

The latest estimates jointly elaborated by WHO, the OECD, and the Pharmaceutical Security Institute show that more than 30% of medicines in some areas of Latin America, South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa are counterfeit. In emerging economies, the proportion is estimated at 10% but in many of the former Soviet republics it can be as high as 20%. In wealthy countries, with strong regulatory mechanisms, counterfeits account for less than 1% of the market value, but 50% of illegal Internet sales are counterfeit.

At the opening of the first official meeting of IMPACT (the International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce) in Bonn, WHO and its partners are unveiling a programme covering legislation, law enforcement, regulation, technology and communication. IMPACT is also issuing a warning against buying medicines from rogue web sites as well as cautioning governments that existing laws against medical counterfeiters are inadequate and do not act as deterrents.

Counterfeit medicines range from products containing no active ingredients to those containing highly toxic substances. They can harm patients by failing to treat serious conditions, can provoke drug resistance and in some cases kill.

"The impact on people's lives behind these figures is devastating," said Dr Howard Zucker, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Technology and Pharmaceuticals. "Whether rich or poor, many patients trustingly taking medicines may end up sicker or die. In addition, precious resources spent on these medicines go to waste."

Legislation, regulation and enforcement also provide the basis for dealing with the sale of counterfeit medicines on the Internet, which is already rife in industrialized countries and is growing in a number of emerging economies in Latin America and Asia.

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