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Drug giant to clamp down on diverting of ARVs

    JOHANNESBURG

    International drug giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) says it is close to implementing measures to stem the illegal diversion of anti-AIDS drugs from developing countries to wealthy nations.

    According to London's Financial Times, by the end of this year the company aims to have implemented an anti-fraud identification system that includes new packaging and labelling for its antiretrovirals (ARVs).

    Medicines heading for Africa will be coated red and shipped in packaging with easily traceable identity codes, while medication destined for Western markets will remain white in colour.

    The measure is expected to enable GSK to identify specific wholesalers in Africa, who have been selling humanitarian drugs, as well as the suppliers profiting from such parallel importing into Europe.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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