Counterfeit Medicines – A Problem In Medical Sciences

Counterfeit medicines – a problem in medical sciences is a one-day educational course dedicated to the problem of counterfeit medicines globally and in Europe.

The programme covers:
• The scale of the problem of counterfeit medicines globally and in Europe – epidemiological data and market trends
• Definition and classification of counterfeit medicines according to the World Health Organisation
• The most commonly counterfeited groups of medicinal products: antibiotics, oncology medicines, hormonal medicines and ‘lifestyle’ medicines
• Distribution channels for counterfeit medicines – the internet, illegal online pharmacies, the supply chain
• Health risks associated with the use of counterfeit medicines: lack of efficacy, toxicity, drug resistance
• The impact of counterfeit medicines on public health and the healthcare system
• Methods for identifying and detecting counterfeit medicines – from visual assessment to modern analytical techniques
• The medicine serialisation and verification system in the European Union (Falsified Medicines Directive)
• The role of pharmacists, doctors and laboratory diagnosticians in combating the distribution of falsified medicines
• Case studies: examples of detected medicine counterfeits and their clinical consequences
• Patient education as a preventive measure against the use of counterfeit medicines

The course will take place on 1 July 2026 in Białystok, Poland, and will combine expert lectures with practical workshop.

📅 When?

1 July 2026

👉 Where

On-site format in Bialystok, eastern Poland

👉 Costs

Both travel and subsistence expenses will be covered by the project funds. A scholarship agreement will need to be signed.

👉 Details

• Each training group will consist of up to 20 participants: up to 8 alliance members from outside Poland, up to 5 participants from Poznan University of Technology, and up to 7 participants from MUB.

• MUB will share its high-quality expertise and infrastructure with participants; therefore, the training will be conducted on site, as some courses will require the use of specialised laboratory equipment.

• During the stay – whose main purpose is participation in the training – time will also be allocated to discovering the attractions of Białystok (including the MUB headquarters, i.e., the Branicki Palace, and the Branicki Palace Museum, among others). This provides valuable added benefit for participants and highlights that, despite local roots, all members of the Alliance share European values, including inclusiveness and openness.

• 100% of classes will be conducted in English.

• The task includes covering travel and subsistence costs for training participants from outside MUB (both members of the international EUNICE community and guests from the Polish EUNICE university, i.e., Poznań University of Technology).

• A necessary condition for participation and funding is the completion of the recruitment process, signing the agreement, attending and completing the course/training, and fulfilling all formal mobility reporting requirements.

👉 Applications

The deadline for submitting applications is: 19 June 2026

👉 Questions? 

If you have any questions contact: eunice.ap@umb.edu.pl

👉Rules

The participation rules are listed on the task website.