The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) provided expertise in addressing intellectual property crimes and analyzing trends in online infringements related to counterfeit medicines for Operation SHIELD VI, an anti-counterfeit medicine operation led by Europol.
Operation SHIELD VI, conducted from April to November 2025, involved the seizure of more than 3 million counterfeit medicines and approximately 300,000 illegal doping substances (worth 32 million euros) across Europe, and the shutdown of 66 websites used to sell counterfeit medicines.
Some counterfeit medicines closely resemble legitimate medicines, not only infringing on intellectual property rights but also posing a serious threat to public health.
Furthermore, the increasing number of unregulated websites selling counterfeit medicines makes detection and prevention more difficult, further complicating law enforcement efforts.
EUIPO, together with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and Europol,Stay on top – EU vs Fake MedicinesWe have launched a campaign to raise awareness about the risks of purchasing medicines from uncertified online sources and to provide guidance on how to identify authorized sellers.