National security: health care, pandemic (COVID-­19) and the global trade in counterfeit pharmaceuticals (Part 1)

Abstract

Ukraine’s healthcare system faces unprecedented national security challenges in the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. A particularly acute issue is countering counterfeit pharmaceuticals, preventing drug shortages, joining efforts of the authorities and national manufacturers of drugs and medicines. According to the UN in Ukraine more than 60% of the population lives below the poverty line. Timely response to these challenges and taking preventive measures will save lives, minimize the volume and consequences of the pandemic. The work provides an economic and legal analysis, trends, risks and threats to the national security of the state and health protection during a pandemic, in order to protect intellectual property rights, adequate coordination of actions at the national and international levels. Based on the analysis of studies by the OECD, the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) and Europol shows the impact of counterfeiting on business and the economy, the criminal landscape in the EU. The basics of the anti-counterfeiting management, measures to implement a standard anti-counterfeiting strategy are proposed.