Counterfeit medicines are a growing problem
The proliferation of counterfeit drugs on the global market and easy availability via online pharmacies is an increasing problem. The makers of counterfeit drugs have enjoyed and profited from loopholes in a system designed to deliver healthy medicines to those in need. The rising cost of prescription medications and the ubiquitous presence of online and overseas pharmacies means more people than ever are threatened by these counterfeiting operations.
Is your prescription medication real or could it be counterfeit? On Friday the U.S. Attorney General met with a group of technology industry leaders in the South Bay to highlight a growing problem with intellectual property theft, including counterfeit pharmaceuticals
New expensive medicines such as hormones, corticosteroids, cancer drugs, and Viagra are the most frequently counterfeited medications in industrialized countries. On Friday, the U.S. Attorney General sounded the alarm on a growing problem that he says threatens public safety.
By Leslie Brinkley
29 March 2008