2nd Instance of Counterfeit Cancer Treatment Drug Found in United States: April 3, 2012
A second instance of a counterfeit version of the cancer therapy drug Avastin, labeled Altuzan (as it is labeled in Turkey) has been found in the United States, announced the FDA. Vials of the medication were tested at FDA labs and found not to contain the active ingredients, according to the FDA. Medical practices obtained the counterfeit Altuzan and other unapproved products through foreign sources ,two of which are based in the UK (Richards Pharma, aka Richards Services and Warwick Healthcare Solutions) and one based in La Jolla, Ca, Ban Dune Marketing Inc (BDMI). BDMI was also implicated in the earlier fake Avastin incident from February of 2012. Medical practices who have purchased from these suppliers have been asked to retain the drugs for testing by the FDA.
Who: FDA Office of Drug Safety and Availability.
When: Date of report; April 3, 2012 March 2012-April 2012.
Where: La Jolla, California, United States.
How: Verification testing done by the FDA.
Additional details:At present 73 doctors’ offices in 15 states have been warned by the FDA for having business dealings with the suppliers of this latest batch of counterfeit Avastin.
Related sources:
" New batch of fake Avastin reached U.S. via Britain.," Reuters. 4/4/2012.
" Altuzan (bevacizumab): Counterfeit Product - Contains no Active Ingredient ," FDA. 4/3/2012.
" FDA Finds New Batch of Counterfeit Avastin ," Wall Street Journal. 4/3/2012.
" Fake cancer drug Avastin hits U.S. market for the second time ," CBS News. 4/5/2012.
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