In the Americas, during the II Pan American Conference on Drug Regulatory Harmonization (1999) a panel discussion was held on medicines counterfeiting during which the WHO guidelines to combat drug counterfeiting were presented and it was concluded that:

1. Counterfeiting is a problem that exists in varying degrees in most of the countries of the region and in some countries strong measures have been taken to reduce the problem;
2. the guidelines for the development of the fight against counterfeit drugs, recently published by WHO, is a good tool that can be used by the countries;
3. most of the countries lack up-to-date legislation that would make it possible to address this crime and enforce exemplary penalties;
4. addressing the problem requires that the health authorities coordinate their actions with the police and judicial authorities and with producers and distributors, and uncontrolled proliferation of distribution channels and pharmacies in some countries can affect the existence of this crime.