Tougher Penalties for Counterfeiters Under Consideration

On June 4, Rep. Steve J. Israel (D-NY) introduced the Counterfeit Enforcement Act of 2009 (H.R. 2726). This proposed legislation, which would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, increases penalties for the sale of contraband or counterfeit drugs. If passed, this legislation brings to life many of the ideas that the Partnership for Safe Medicines advocates in the Principles for Drug Safety.

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FDA MedWatch Safety Alert: Nationwide Recalls of Dietary Supplement Stamina-Rx

Posted June 22, 2009 Nationwide Recalls of Dietary Supplement Stamina-Rx Unapproved Ingredient Present in Supplement  Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals notified patients and healthcare professionals of a nationwide recall of all products sold under the name Stamina-Rx.  FDA lab analysis found that the product contained the undeclared ingredient − benzamidenafil.  Benzamidenafil is…

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Nyadong L, Harris GA, Balayssac S, Galhena AS, Malet-Martino M, Martino R, Parry RM, Wang MD, Fernández FM, Gilard V. Combining two-dimensional diffusion-ordered nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, imaging desorption electrospray ionization mass spe

During the past decade, there has been a marked increase in the number of reported cases involving counterfeit medicines in developing and developed countries. Particularly, artesunate-based antimalarial drugs have been targeted, because of their high demand and cost. Counterfeit antimalarials can cause death and can contribute to the growing problem of drug resistance, particularly in…

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Congress on the Right Road to Stop Drug Counterfeiters

Earlier this year, Reps. John D. Dingell (D-MI 15), Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ 06) and Bart Stupak (D-MI 01) introduced the Food and Drug Administration Globalization Act of 2009 (H.R.759). This legislation indicates that Congress is fbeginning an important journey to address several real threats that substandard and counterfeit drugs pose to the pharmaceutical supply chain.

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FDA Warns Public About Stolen Levemir Insulin

Novo Nordisk product previously reported as stolen in North Carolina has resurfaced recently at a medical center in Houston. Originally posted June 16, 2009 FDA notified patients and healthcare professionals that some stolen vials of the long-acting insulin Levemir made by Novo Nordisk Inc. are being sold in the U.S. market, may not have been…

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To Import or Not To Import

That is the question that many of our lawmakers are asking. Senators Dorgan (D-ND), Snowe (R-ME), McCain (R-AZ) and Stabenow (D-MI) brought that question to the forefront when they introduced the “Pharmaceutical Market Access and Drug Safety Act of 2009” (S. 525) in March. Currently waiting to be placed on the Senate calendar, the bill would allow for prescription drug importation.

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Letter to President Barack Obama

April 8, 2009 President Barack Obama1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NWWashington, DC 20500 Dear Mr. President, On behalf of the Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM), a group of organizations and individuals that have policies, procedures, or programs to protect consumers from counterfeit or contraband medicines and dedicated to the safety of the drug supply, I would like…

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Seiter A. Health and economic consequences of counterfeit drugs. Clin Pharmacol Ther. 2009;85(6):576-8.

"Counterfeit Drugs Kill" is the slogan the World Health Organization (WHO) uses in its anti-counterfeiting campaign. International organizations, governments of developed and developing countries, and the pharmaceutical industry created the IMPACT initiative (International Medical Products Anti-Counterfeiting Taskforce) to take on the thriving illegal industry that makes profits by selling fake drugs. However, before committing resources,…

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Education…The Prescription for Purchasing Medications

The cost of counterfeiting is much more than money. In too many cases, counterfeiting costs human health and in some cases lives. For example, a group of clinics in Sierra Leone were closed last week for allegedly administering counterfeit drugs. Other cases involving online drug sellers have claimed the health and lives of patients who bought from illicit Web sites.

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