New Project Awarded by DG HOME: MEDI-THEFT – Data sharing and Investigative Platform against Organised Thefts of Medicines

The consortium led by AIFA the Italian national regulatory authority on medicines, and encompassing SAFE as management and coordination partner, has been awarded a new project by DG HOME on countering the theft of medicines.

Running for 24 months starting from 1^st November 2021, the project aims to create a shared data platform among European LEAs and relevant private and public EU actors for an improved intelligence picture, better coordination, and more effective investigations against theft of medicines. The platform will be tested by the Italian Carabinieri and other European LEAs.

The consortium includes, apart from AIFA and SAFE, Transcrime – the Joint Research Center and spin-off of the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore in Milan, IPZS – the Italian Istituto Poligrafico and Zecca dello Stato, AME – Affordable Medicines Europe representing Europe’s licensed parallel distribution industry, ALIMS – the Medicines and Medical Devices Agency of Serbia, CInMeD – an independent national drug regulatory authority in the field of public health protection and the Arma dei Carabinieri – Italian gendarmerie force.

The core activities of the project include a comprehensive review of existing modi operandi, risk indicators and optimal procedures to manage thefts of medicines, the creation of an intelligence-based platform for joint investigations on organized theft of medicines of European LEAs; testing of the platform by the Carabinieri and other EU LEAs, as well as a manual and training module to facilitate end-users with the application of the platform.

For more information about this project stay tuned and follow us on Twitter @SAFE_Italy