At the beginning of summer, the Latvian Patent Office (LPO) launched an informational campaign and presented the latest survey data on the attitudes of Latvian residents toward the possibility of purchasing counterfeit medicines. In July, the State Police Republic of Latvia informed the public about sanctioned searches related to the illegal circulation of medicines. The Latvian Medicines Verification Organization (LZVO) also draws attention to the fact that medicines are safest when purchased only from licensed distributors.
In June 2025, the LPO presented an informational campaign along with the latest survey data on Latvian residents’ attitudes toward the possibility of purchasing counterfeit medicines.
According to a survey conducted by the research company Kantar on behalf of the LPO as part of the campaign “Be original - counterfeiting costs lives!”, 15.8% of Latvian residents reported that in the past year they had personally encountered offers to purchase medicines or dietary supplements of unknown origin (counterfeit), for example, from private individuals, social media, or websites that are neither registered nor licensed. More information about the campaign and the survey can be found on the LPO website.
The LPO stresses that to protect themselves, residents must remain vigilant and responsible. Medicines should always be purchased only from registered pharmacies, including online, but exclusively The original message in Latvian is available here.
The LZVO joins the LPO and State Police in urging residents to stay informed, think critically, and follow several safety principles:
- Prescription medicines should only be purchased from licensed pharmacies or healthcare institutions, as authenticity can only be guaranteed within the legal supply chain.
- Over-the-counter medicines should only be purchased from common logo on their website.
- Exercise caution regarding social media advertisements. If an offer seems unusually advantageous, there is a high chance the advertisement is misleading. Do not purchase medicines from message boards or unknown websites.
- Check the packaging. In the European Union, prescription medicines have a unique identifier and safety features. If a medicine lacks these, it may be counterfeit.
Thanks to the Latvian medicines verification system, prescription medicines dispensed in pharmacies and healthcare institutions are checked and authentic. This system, operating throughout Europe, was established in accordance with the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (2011/62/EU) and the Delegated Regulation on safety features on medicine packaging (EU 2016/161), preventing counterfeit medicines from entering the legal supply chain. Thanks to this mechanism, Latvia maintains a high standard of safety and reliability for prescription medicines.