Archive for 2011
Liang B A*, Mackey T. Direct-to-Consumer Advertising With Interactive Internet Media. JAMA. 2011 2 23; 305 (8): 824-825.
Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) is legal only in the United States and New Zealand and has been linked with drug overutilization, public health concerns, and higher costs. 1 Despite global proscriptions, DTCA is the most rapidly increasing form of pharmaceutical marketing, with approximately $4 billion in US expenditures, outpacing physician marketing and research and development. Liang…
[...]Counterfeit Pills Infiltrated Over-The-Counter Nutritional Supplement Market
View in a larger map On February 22, 2011, Biotab Nutraceuticals, Inc., (“Biotab”) voluntarily recalled two lots of EXTENZE nutritional supplements bearing lot number 0709241 and 0509075 because they are counterfeit products containing undeclared drug ingredients. Who: The Food and Drug Administration notified Biotab of the problem. When: February 22, 2011 Where: USA. How: Unknown…
[...]Svelte 30 Nutritional Consultants Issues a Voluntary Recall of Weight Loss Pills Found to Contain an Undeclared Drug Ingredient
Recalled Svelte 30 Herb SupplementPhoto courtesy of the FDA via Flickr. This is a reprint of the FDA alert. February 9, 2011 – – Svelte 30 Nutritional Consultants has been informed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that a sample of Svelte 30 orange & gray capsule was collected and tested by FDA in January 2011.…
[...]Rogue Online Pharmacies Co-Opt Google Brand
A new pharmaceutical spam campaign misappropriates Google branding to promote a “Google-accredited” online pharmacy portal. Symantec’s MessageLabs intelligence tracked spam email messages promoting online drug sales with a false claim that Google has hosted and approved the pharmacy sites. The link within the email directs to a spammer’s blog on a popular blogging portal,…
[...]FDA Identifies Emerging Trend of Dangerous Medicines Hidden in “All Natural Supplements”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has seen an increase in tainted products marketed as “all natural” or “100% herbal” that contain undeclared pharmaceutical ingredients that could potentially sicken consumers and counterfeit prescription medications that contain inappropriate ingredients or incorrect dosages.
In a news release, the CBP and FDA said that “counterfeiters have become more sophisticated in deceiving consumers. It can be difficult, if not impossible, to tell the real product from an imposter without sophisticated equipment. Counterfeit drugs may look exactly like real FDA-approved medicines, but their quality and safety are unknown. For example, counterfeit products could contain the wrong ingredients and/or varying amounts of the supposed active ingredient.”
[...]Feature Picture 2/22/11
Real (left) & Fake Lipitor (right)by The U.S. Food and Drug Administration via Flickr.
[...]Rogue Pharmacy Spam Exposed by Image Hosting Service
Pharmaceutical spammers have been using image hosting services to promote their products and one service has responded by giving its patrons a strong warning. Reports Brian Krebs, Image Shack has replaced the rogue pharmacy images with warning signs, including universal symbols for caution, poison and health hazards. In addition, they’ve replaced the spammers’ catch phrases…
[...]European Businessman Testifies in London’s Fake Cancer Drug Case
Testifying before the Croydon Crown Court in south London, Peter Gillespie, 64, admitted to aiding in the defrauding of pharmaceutical wholesalers, pharmacists and patients by selling counterfeit cancer drugs, heart disease medication and schizophrenia medication. However, Gillespie denies knowing the false origin of the medication supplied by a business associate he had known for 15…
[...]Five More Indicted in Extortion Conspiracy that Targeted U.S. Consumers of Offshore Medicine
A federal grand jury has indicted five more people for conspiring to commit extortion under the pretense of being U.S. Food & Drug Administration agents. The false FDA agents allegedly threatened Americans, who had purchased drugs from offshore online pharmacies, with incarceration to extort up to $100,000.
The USFDA announced on February 7th that Jose Miguel Mercado Garcia, 29, of the Dominican Republic, Zulai Morales, 25, of the Dominican Republic, Ramona Pichardo, 51, of New York, New York, Maria Curet, 33, of Providence, Rhode Island, and Milton Goris, 32, of Miami, Florida were indicted. Ramon Pichard was arrested on February 10th, while the remaining defendants are at large.
According to the one count indictment, beginning on December 1, 2007, people claiming to represent pharmaceutical distributors located in the Dominican Republic called and emailed US residents offering to sell pharmaceutical drugs. Purchasers of those pharmaceutical drugs from the Dominican Republic distributors were then instructed to pay via either a money wire service or by credit card.
The indictment alleges that after paying, customers would then receive telephone calls from purported United States FDA agents, who in fact were not FDA agents. The false FDA agents allegedly falsely stated that the customers’ orders from the Dominican Republic had been interdicted, and that the customers now owed fines.
[...]Your Guide to Reporting Problems to FDA
FDA Guide to Reporting Problemsby the U.S. Food and Drug Administration via Flickr.
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