Counterfeit healthcare products represent a public health risk because the contents of counterfeit products are not known and is therefore an important issue for the pharmaceutical industry. Counterfeit products may lack active ingredients so patients do not receive the treatment they expect and need, or counterfeit products may contain other ingredients that could pose a safety risk. Although Novo Nordisk has experienced only very few cases of counterfeit products, we believe it is part of our role as a responsible company to take measures to combat the growing problem of counterfeit drugs and medical devices.

 We work against counterfeiting by:

• proactively applying relevant security features on our products, based on an informed risk assessment and regulatory requirements

• having a quality management system that investigates occurrences of counterfeited Novo Nordisk products

• taking the appropriate legal course of action against those involved in the counterfeiting of Novo Nordisk products and aims at impacting the source of manufacture of these products

• communicating timely and openly about cases of counterfeit products found in the Novo Nordisk supply chain to minimise the safety risk that use of such products may pose

• cooperating with regulators and other stakeholders to investigate counterfeit products and to develop new anti-counterfeit measures

• cooperating internationally with scientific and trade organisations as well as regulatory bodies to develop legislation to counteract counterfeit products

• being a member of the Pharmaceutical Security Institute (PSI) which collects information and coordinates investigations into counterfeit products within the pharmaceutical industry worldwide.