News & General Information

The 10th European Day for Organ Donation and Transplantation will be held in Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia, on 10 October

(26/08/08) The idea behind this day, conceived by the Council of Europe, is to help a different member state each year to encourage debate on these social questions and in this way help organ donation and transplantation to progress. More information...

14 June 2008: World Blood Donor Day

The Council of Europe, which has been working actively in the area of in blood transfusion for 50 years, will lend its support this year, as before, to World Blood Donor Day to thank those who have donated blood for their generosity that has saved many lives and also to encourage blood donations.

The Council of Europe is planning in the near future to become involved in this international event by joining the World Health Organization, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and International Society of Blood Transfusion, which are organising this event.

For further information click here.

Training on best practices to combat counterfeiting

(11/06/08) The unique nature of the training offered by the Council of Europe’s EDQM is to regularly bring together the different players and partners concerned by the counterfeiting of medicines (police, custom authorities, inspectors etc.) encouraging a borderless, multi-sector approach to efficiently combating the counterfeiting of medicines and related offences in Europe. More information.....

Combining forces to protect patients from counterfeit medicines and pharmaceutical crime

A model for a network and single points of contact (SPOCs) across disciplines and borders

(17/03/08) Counterfeiting of medical products and other related pharmaceutical crimes put public health in danger in Europe and worldwide.

Rapid and effective communication and concerted co-operation amongst officials in a country and across national borders are a pre-requisite to contain and prevent harm to patient’s health, disrupt supply of suspect counterfeit medical products, prosecute and deter criminals, and to avoid damage to healthcare systems.

Often, communication and co-operation are hampered by the lack of adequate structures and procedures for concerned health and law enforcement. 

The conclusions of the Council of Europe 2005 and 2006 international conferences on counterfeit medicines called for the establishment of a network of dedicated contact persons (SPOCs) within authorities involved in combating counterfeit medicines and other forms of pharmaceutical crimes. 

Inspired by the above conclusions, the Council of Europe Ad hoc Group on Counterfeit Medicines developed a model for a network and SPOCs and adopted it in June 2007. More information.......