Partnership for Safe Medicines Announces Groundbreaking China Initiative

Launch of PSM China Reinforces Global
Fight Against Counterfeit Drugs

Beijing and Washington, D.C. (November
28, 2012)
– The
Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM), the leading advocacy organization dedicated
to fighting the global threat posed by counterfeit drugs, today announced its
latest international collaboration with the launch of PSM China. Today’s launch
event in Beijing was attended by stakeholders from the government, advocacy community and industry, and underscores the important
role that public-private partnerships play in educating consumers and helping
to keep them safe from dangerous and deadly counterfeit medicines.

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Essex (UK) Fake Online Pharmacy Money Man Sentenced in Counterfeit Drug Scheme

MHRA(UK) investigation leads to seizure of 26,000 unapproved prescription pills & steroids, and prosecution of 4 fake online pharmacy operators.

Canvey Island resident Gary Bracci pled guilty to money laundering charges, processing over ₤400,000 in payments for a fake online pharmacy operation. He has been sentenced to 12 months suspended, along with 300 hours of court-mandated unpaid work, and a ₤10,000 fine, announced the MHRA.

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Counterfeit vs. Substandard Drugs

Both counterfeit drugs and substandard drugs can be harmful, but it is important to understand that they are different. When substandard medicines are found, authorities can work with the company to remove the substandard medicine and correct the problem. With counterfeit drugs, the company that manufactured them is unknown. Consumers have no assurance of what is actually in these products, no way to know how many there are, or where they are located.

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Campbell N, Clark JP, Stecher VJ, Goldstein I. Internet-ordered viagra (sildenafil citrate) is rarely genuine. J Sex Med. 2012 Nov;9(11):2943-51. Epub 2012 Aug 27.

Abstract Introduction.  Counterfeit medication is a growing problem. This study assessed the requirement for prescription, cost, origin, and content of medications sold via the Internet and purporting to be the phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor Viagra (sildenafil citrate). Methods.  Pfizer monitored top search results for the query "buy Viagra" on the two leading Internet search engines…

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Seniors Can Learn to Save Money Safely When Shopping for Medicine Online

For older consumers joining the ranks of Internet users, purchasing prescription drugs online presents opportunities for saving, but also dangers from fake online pharmacies.

A recent survey by Pew reports that 70% of Internet users 65 and older are online daily.  A joint study by The Optum Institute and Harris Research discovered that 57% of Internet users over 65 are interested in communicating about their healthcare via the Internet. As more seniors begin looking for healthcare solutions online, including finding medical information and seeking out prescription medications, they are unlikely to easily distinguish verified and authentic pharmacies and health information from fake online pharmacies where counterfeit drug criminals are eager to prey upon them.

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FDA Alert: Multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections

Multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and other infections. FDA provides NECC Customer List. Ameridose recalls all products. This is a summary of the FDA Alerts on fungal meningitis and bacterial contamination in New England Compounding Center (NECC) products and recall of Ameridose products. Bacterial contamination also found in NECC Products. [11-01-2012] The U.S. Food and…

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RxResponse Helps Sandy Victims Find Open Pharmacies

Recovering from Sandy but in need of vital medication? RxResponse is here to help.

In the wake of disasters such as hurricane Sandy, patients can find out online if their pharmacy is open and accessible by using RxResponse.

Rx Response helps get critical medicines to patients whose health is threatened by a severe public health emergency, such as a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or pandemic, by sharing information and problem-solving for a coalition of bio-pharmaceutical supply chain organizations, disaster relief agencies and local, state and federal government agencies.

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RxResponse Map

Green dots are open pharmacies, white are not reporting, and red have problems. The green beds are open Red Cross Centers.

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