CHPA Joins U.S. Senators Grassley & Coons at Anti-Counterfeiting Event

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) - The Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) joined the Congressional Trademark Caucus, the International Trademark Association (INTA), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) on Capitol Hill Wednesday for a discussion and programming on anti-counterfeiting initiatives . The program included remarks from U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Chris Coons (D-DE), a panel discussion with U.S. government officials, a fireside chat with brand owners, and interactive booths to inform congressional staff about how to spot counterfeit goods and how to educate consumers about how to protect themse l ves, ways to report criminal activity, and other important information.

"The sale of counterfeit consumer healthcare products is a growing concern that poses a serious risk to public health and safety," said CHPA President & CEO Scott Melville. "As a member of the SHOP SAFE Coalition and a supporter of the SHOP SAFE Act and INFORM Consumers Act , now law as of July 2023, CHPA is committed to combating these dangerous products. Industry, Congress, and other key stakeholders must come together to address this issue and educate consumers on protecting themselves from counterfeit products, and yesterday's briefing played a critical role in those ongoing efforts. A special thank you to Senators Grassley and Coons for bringing awareness to this critical issue affecting American consumers."

Background:

The proliferation of counterfeit goods endangers the well-being of American consumers, especially during the holiday shopping season, when the surge in online purchases provides criminals with more opportunities to sell fake products to unsuspecting buyers. It is crucial for consumers to be aware of how to protect themselves and avoid these counterfeit items. A 2023 Michigan State Study found that counterfeit products were most commonly purchased via e-commerce websites and social media.

As a member of the SHOP SAFE Coalition, CHPA is supportive of legislative solutions such as the SHOP SAFE ("Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-commerce") Act, which aims to protect consumers from unsafe counterfeit goods by incentivizing online marketplaces to adopt best practices for screening sellers, including better vetting of third-party sellers and product origins, holding platforms legally liable for goods that pose health or safety risks. Additionally, the Health In Hand Foundation , CHPA's educational arm, works to empower consumers to make safe, informed decisions when purchasing self-care products online.