The “ Pharmacide Arts ” regional exhibition (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand) is composed of 24 pieces (pictures, sculptures, videos) and a catalogue. A documentary movie about fake medicines in the Mekong region will be screened during the exhibition, in a black box. Two series of conferences regarding counterfeit goods and intellectual property will take place as part of the exhibition.
Estimated at over 50 billion Euros per year, the trafficking of counterfeit medicines is an extremely lucrative market for criminal organizations. According to recent studies, the trade in counterfeit medicine represents 5-10% of the total global pharmaceutical market. In addition, 50-90% of all medicine purchased from internet sources are spurious or fake.
In the same exhibition room, a second exhibition will be presented, “Counterfeit Goods”, which shows counterfeit products borrowed from the Tilleke & Gibbins Museum of Counterfeit Goods.
Regarding to the importance of raising the public awareness of the fake products’ daily dangers, this exhibition will be accompanied with a pedagogic and explanatory booklet translated into Thai.
In addition, a contest of comic strips will be organized from March 28thuntil April 21st, 2013, and an award ceremony for the winners will be organized during the exhibition with a display of the winning cartoons at the BACC during the month of May.
In addition to the regional focus within ASEAN, five main objectives have been defined:
-Sensitization of the public about the risk of counterfeit goods (health, security, variety of counterfeits),
-Help and inform the consumer to prevent against fake products
-Understand the phenomenon of counterfeiting (scope, consequences for consumers and local economy, network involved, policies, etc.)
-Help and assistance for companies to open discussion on this great matter of concern
-Set up a network with regional activists working on the fight against and prevention of the risks of counterfeits in Southeast Asia.
For more information please contact:
• Napadol Wirakan, Press and Communication Section of the French Embassy in Thailand
• Panfah Treelao, Cultural and Cooperation Section of the French Embassy in Thailand
