Health Law Conference Addresses Terrorism In The Pharmaceutical Industry

Main Category: Bio-terrorism / Terrorism
Also Included In: Pharma Industry / Biotech Industry
Article Date: 03 Apr 2006 - 0:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   opinions  

The FDA has warned that the U.S. drug supply is a potential target for terrorism. With a high demand on cheap prescription drugs, the industry is increasingly vulnerable to counterfeits. U.S. Senate Committee hearings provided evidence that terrorists use profits from counterfeit drugs to finance their operations. In addition, governments across the globe have noted that drug piracy has become a standard part of organized international crime.

"In order to protect our citizens, policymakers must make some drastic decisions and changes from the way prescription drugs are packaged to the way that they are distributed," said Bryan Liang, executive director of the Institute of Health Law Studies (IHLS) at California Western School of Law. "The critical stakeholders in the industry must be engaged to combat these crimes in order to protect ourselves and our country from falling victim to another terrorist attack."

Despite recognition of terrorist and international crime organization presence in drug piracy and its risk to the world drug supply, there have been limited efforts to provide a solution to prevent these crimes. In an effort to better facilitate discussion on the issue and educate stakeholder groups, the Institute of Health Law Studies is holding a health policy conference entitled, "Terrorism, International Crime, and Medicine Security: Issues in a Global Marketplace." This is the second annual health policy conference that has been hosted by IHLS. Last year's conference was focused on Americans taking prescription medicine that has either been tainted with or fake and how to avoid, detect or report these types of medications.

What:
Health Policy Conference, "Terrorism, International Crime, and Medicine Security: Issues in a Global Marketplace"

When:
June 9, 2006

Where:
Hilton Harbor Island Hotel
1960 Harbor Island Drive
San Diego, CA 92101

Who:

Hosted by California Western's Institute of Health Law Studies, the conference will feature informed stakeholders from patient, industry, academic, and policymaking bodies. Speakers include:

• Gary M. Bald, executive assistant director, National Security Branch, FBI.

• Greg Schulte, Department of Homeland Security, who has field and ground level experience in investigation of domestic and international criminal activity in the drug counterfeiting world.

• John Theriault, vice president, Global Security, Pfizer Inc., who has testified extensively on the issue of medicine security.

• Tom Kubic, executive director, Pharmaceutical Security Institute, and former deputy assistant director, Criminal Division, FBI.

• Katherine Eban, author of "dangerous Doses," a frequent national commentator on counterfeit drugs.

• Alan Cates, executive director, Fraud Prevention Institute, whose work on fraud in pharmaceuticals was profiled in 60 Minutes, and who has received two FBI commendations for Distinguished Achievement.

• Jim Thomson, chief executive officer, The UK Centre for Mental Health, a leading speaker on international issues of crime and counterfeit drugs, online pharmacy, and EU parallel trade.

• James Class, executive director, Partnership for Safe Medicines, who has worked extensively on creating an international program to ensure safety of the drug supply.

• Bryan A. Liang, executive director, Institute of Health Law Studies, California Western School of Law, co-director, San Diego Center for Patient Safety, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, who has written extensively on the issue of counterfeit drugs and the medicine supply, has addressed international organizations such as OECD, WIPO, and APEC on the risks of terrorism and crime on the international access to medicines, and has been a frequently quoted expert in national and international presses on this topic.

California Western School of Law is the independent, ABA/AALS-accredited San Diego law school that advances multi-dimensional lawyering by educating lawyers-to-be as creative problem solvers and principled advocates who frame the practice of law as a helping, collaborative profession. California Western is home to several innovative centers and institutes including the California Innocence Project, the Center for Creative Problem Solving, the Institute of Health Law Studies, and the Institute for Criminal Defense Advocacy. In addition to a J.D. program, the law school offers several dual degree programs in conjunction with local universities; an LL.M. in Federal Criminal Law; and an M.C.L./LL.M. for foreign law graduates.

The Institute of Health Law Studies at California Western School of Law is an accredited continuing medical education provider. IHLS performs research, participates in advocacy activities, engages in community service, and provides education that focuses on "Improving health care today…for all our tomorrows."

http://www.cwsl.edu

• Additional
• References
• Citations

Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release.
Visit our bio-terrorism / terrorism section for the latest news on this subject.

There are no references listed for this article.

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

MLA

Laurence Hillcrest. "Health Law Conference Addresses Terrorism In The Pharmaceutical Industry." Medical News Today. MediLexicon, Intl., 3 Apr. 2006. Web.
15 Feb. 2012. <http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/40782.php>

---

APA

Laurence Hillcrest. (2006, April 3). "Health Law Conference Addresses Terrorism In The Pharmaceutical Industry." Medical News Today. Retrieved from
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/40782.php.

---

Please note: If no author information is provided, the source is cited instead.