Globalization of counterfeit drugs through internet pharmacies and the risk of purchasing drugs from illegal online pharmacies Industry experts have considered there are between 30,000 and 40,000 active illegal online pharmacies are operational at any given time. A Google search exercise suggests that there are more 35 millions of Internet drug store web sites. The…
Although the adverse health impact of counterfeit and falsified medicines is catastrophic, it is difficult to measure the overall public health burden, the number of deaths and cases of complications, and economic loss due to counterfeit and illegal drugs. Most information on deaths from counterfeit medicines are derived from newspapers or medical reporting. Information on…
Counterfeit drugs adversely affect health in multiple ways. These drugs are ineffective due to insufficient or no active ingredients, and they are often seriously toxic due to overdose or contamination with toxic products. Their use causes death and treatment failures and increases the risks of complications and other morbidities. Their ineffectiveness leads to erosion in…
No country is immune; counterfeit drugs were found in every continent and almost every country, from Australia to Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria, to Panama. According to the 2020 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report the primary countries from which adulterated pharmaceuticals originate are considered to be China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India. Countries like…
Note that at the Seventieth World Health Assembly in 2017, the WHO adopted the term “Substandard and Falsified (SF) medical products” to additionally encompass “substandard drugs,” which fail to pass the quality standards or specifications, or both. In this definition, falsified medical products are those that deliberately or fraudulently misrepresent their identity, composition or source….
Reporting counterfeit medicines is important to protect public health and prevent the spread of harmful and ineffective products. Here’s how you can report counterfeit medicines: Contact Regulatory Authorities Use MedWatch or Similar Programs Contact Law Enforcement Report to Pharmaceutical Companies Use International Reporting Platforms Report to Online Marketplaces Provide Detailed Information: Preserve Evidence Stay Informed:…
Checking for counterfeit medicines requires a combination of vigilance, careful inspection, and verification. Here are steps you can take to check for counterfeit medicines:
Avoiding counterfeit medicines is crucial for your health and safety. Counterfeit drugs can be ineffective, harmful, or even life-threatening. Here are some steps you can take to reduce the risk of encountering counterfeit medicines:
Counterfeit medicine is one which is deliberately and fraudulently mislabeled with respect to identity and 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.