Counterfeit Medicines

This advertisement, published in India, emphasizes the need of buying genuine medicines.

Definition of counterfeit medicine by the World Health Organization (WHO):

"А counterfeit medicine is one which is deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with respect to identity and/or source. Counterfeiting can apply to both branded and generic products and counterfeit products may include products with the correct ingredients or with the wrong ingredients, without active ingredients, with insufficient active ingredients or with fake packaging."

 

A generic drug (generic drugs, short: generics) is a drug which is produced and distributed without patent protection. The generic drug may still have a patent on the formulation but not on the active ingredient.

 

For more information on generics, Please visit:

http://www.egagenerics.com/FAQ-generics.htm

http://www.fda.gov/cder/ogd

http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/generics_q&a.htm

 

Counterfeiting occurs worldwide and are said to be more prevalent in some developing countries with weak regulatory regimes. It is sometimes estimated that upwards of 10% of drugs worldwide are counterfeit, and in some countries more than 50% of the drug supply is made up of counterfeit drugs.

 

Counterfeiting is difficult to detect, investigate, and quantify. Following links are available on http://www.fda.gov

http://www.fda.gov/cder/consumerinfo/counterfeit_text.htm to be more aware of ways to identify the risk of counterfeit medicine and to minimize the chance of receiving fake products, in United States.

http://www.fda.gov

http://www.fda.gov

http://www.fda.gov

 

• “Counterfeit Medicines - Filled With Empty Promises; You can avoid counterfeit medicine by purchasing only from U.S. state-licensed pharmacies.”  
• "Reporting Unlawful Sales of Medical Products on the Internet."    
• "Radiofrequency Identification Technology: Protecting the Drug Supply."  
• “Protecting consumers from counterfeit drugs.” 

 

For more information about counterfeit medicines, please visit the FDA page, “Combating Counterfeit Drugs” at:www.fda.gov/counterfeit.

      If you buy medicines over the Internet:

• Check to see if a pharmacy is licensed, is in good standing, and is located in your own country. This will also help to prevent your sensitive information to get stolen away.
• Examine closely for original packaging. Talk to your pharmacist, if you find any difference in colour, texture, taste and shape of your medicine.
• You should also be wary of sellers who advertise very aggressively or who do not require a doctor's prescription for prescription medicines.
• If you are in United States, check to see if an Internet pharmacy site has the VIPPS Seal (More about, VIPPS, please  go to www.vipps.info. ), the seal of the Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Accreditation Program. This program was established by the NABP to help protect you and guide you through Internet pharmacy shopping. Legitimate pharmacies that carry the VIPPS Seal are listed at http://www.nabp.net/vipps/consumer/listall.asp.

   

In UK, a large number of purchases of medicines and medical devices are made over the Internet.  The manufacturers of these products are unlikely to conform to European standards of safety and effectiveness. Moreover, it is also difficult to trace the source of these products. And, people being cheated with counterfeit or substandard products. One of the problems is that there may be no legal or judicial recourse in the event of problem. The MHRA E&I Group is responsible for the UK Anti-counterfeiting Strategy which was launched in November 2007. You can report a counterfeit medicine or device at counterfeit@mhra.gsi.gov.uk  by e-mail.

According to WHO’s definition, drugs/ medicines are substandard- if they are products whose composition and ingredients do not meet the correct scientific specifications and which are consequently ineffective and often dangerous to the patient. Substandard products may occur as a result of negligence, human error, insufficient human and financial resources or counterfeiting.

For related information, go to:

http://www.who.int/