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White House U.S. Joint Strategic Plan For 2017-2019 Highlights CSIP

The White House

Organization provides a model for protecting consumers through consumer education and by collaborating with global law enforcement

Washington, D.C. — This week the White House released the U.S. Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property, which highlighted the Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and its board members as a model for private sector efforts to protect consumers from counterfeit medicines online. Since its founding in 2011, CSIP has partnered with global law enforcement to target online criminals, yielding seizure of $81 million of fake medicines. CSIP has also developed consumer education campaigns, including search ads on Google and Bing, that have reached tens of millions of online shoppers, equipping them with tools to buy safely and educating them on the risks associated with illegitimate pharmacies.

As the White House Strategic Plan cites, “Among all counterfeit goods, counterfeit pharmaceuticals pose one of the most serious and pervasive health and safety threats.” According to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, 97% of online pharmacies are illegitimate, and the Strategic Plan notes, “counterfeit drugs are not produced under safe manufacturing conditions, nor are they inspected by the regulatory authorities. Reports confirm that many counterfeit drugs include ingredients that are toxic to patients and processed under poorly controlled and unsanitary conditions.”

CSIP is an unprecedented collaboration that has become a global model for voluntary initiatives by industry to address threats to consumer health and safety. The organization’s work has been held up globally as a model for ways countries around the world can address the dangers of illegitimate online pharmacies.

“CSIP and its board members are committed to protecting consumers from the grave threat of illegitimate online pharmacies, and it starts with our companies having a zero tolerance policy for illegal activity on their platforms,” said CSIP Executive Director Marjorie Clifton. “ We are proud to be a global model for private sector coalitions and public/private partnerships that make a positive difference for consumers.”
About The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP)
The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) is a nonprofit organization chartered in 2011 by global Internet industry leaders with the goal of protecting consumers from the threat of illegitimate pharmacies on the Internet. Our board includes members from online advertising service providers, social media companies, payment system operators, registries and registrars and shipping companies. CSIP members have come together to focus on the promotion of safe online pharmacies through consumer education initiatives, aiding law enforcement efforts, and establishing voluntary practices. The Center for Safe Internet Pharmacies (CSIP) and our 11 member companies have the shared goal of helping address the growing problem of consumer access to illegitimate pharmaceutical products on the Internet. For more information about where to safely buy prescription drugs online or to verify your pharmacy, go to www.safemedsonline.org. Join the conversation on Twitter at @safemedsonline and on Facebook.com/safemedsonline.

View a printable version of this news release.