It's World Anti-Counterfeiting Day: Do you know where your drugs come from?
In recognition of World Anti-Counterfeiting Day and Men's Health Week, PSM has put together an infographic that describes the most likely health risks that medicine counterfeiters exploit in men.
Counterfeit medicines are more common today than ever. USA Today reports that U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 200% more counterfeit pharmaceuticals in 2011, than they did in 2002.
Therese Randazzo, intellectual property rights director at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, warns "There's demand, and it's gotten easier and easier to copy (products) and to sell them over the internet. "
But recent counterfeit drug incidents have made it obvious that buying over the internet is not a guaranteed path to safety and savings. The FDA announced in February, and again in April, that 89 US doctor's offices in 15 states purchased medication from a distributor known to have counterfeits, and on May 29, that counterfeit Adderall purchased over the internet contained instead of the therapeutic ingredients used to increase concentration in those suffereing from ADHD and narcolespy, tramadol and acetominophen, pain medications.
But these are not the only risks that internet purchasers of medicines face. Medications for heart disease, high blood pressure, depression, obesity, bacterial infection and viral infection are all among those found counterfeited and sold via the internet to unsuspecting patients. Taking counterfeit medications purchased online have caused stroke, severe illness and even death.
Learn more about the risks of purchasing medication for cancer to diabetes to hair loss from sources outside the closed, secure drug supply chain.
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