News
The Top 4 Ways Global Criminal Gangs Can Damage Your Kidneys
Yes that’s right, global criminal gangs of medicine counterfeiters can damage your kidneys, causing kidney failure, or cancer.
Learn how to keep your kidneys safe from criminals by first keeping your medicines safe.
[...]“Moving Beyond the Avastin Incident”: PSM Counterfeit Drug Congressional Briefing held on March 15
Partnership for Safe Medicines sponsored a Congressional Briefing to explore the continued impact of counterfeit drugs on Thursday, March 15 in the Capitol Visitor Center at noon.
[...]PSM Launches Free Online Toolkit to Help Doctors, Nurses Avoid and Detect Fake Drugs
Recent Counterfeit Avastin Incident Highlights Need for Further Education Washington, D.C. (DATE, 2012) – In the wake of the recent counterfeit Avastin incident, The Partnership for Safe Medicines (PSM) today launched two new free resource guides to help doctors and nurses protect their patients from the harm of counterfeit…
[...]Patient Safety Awareness Week – What Medical Staff Can Teach Patients About Counterfeit Medicines
Learn how to educate patients about ensuring their medications are safe by
downloading LEADERS guides for doctors, pharmacists and nurses.
Counterfeit Medicines May Leave Residue in Food Supply Says U.N.
UN officials are establishing the first pharmaceutical standards for medicines used in treating African farm animals.
[...]Colorectal Cancer’s New One Two Punch Undermined by Counterfeiters?
In the wake of cancer clinic scandal involving counterfeit Avastin, a vital medication that breast cancer, lung cancer and colorectal cancer patients take to cut off the blood supply to tumors, new research shows that Avastin may be more vital than ever when used in conjunction with a medication which prevents the cancer from spreading…
[...]Counterfeit Chemo Contained Acetone – 36 Vials Still Missing
Swiss drug maker, Roche, released details of the contents of the counterfeit Avastin found in 19 U.S. cancer clinics.
[...]Ministry Warns of Batch of Cancer Drug in Israel
A week after the US Food and Drug Administration notified 19 clinical medical practices that the Avastin with which they were treating cancer patients was counterfeit and contained no active ingredient, the Health Ministry of Israel announced a shipment of Avastin bearing an identical number to a batch identified as fake was sold in Israel…
[...]What Patients Can Do To Protect Themselves from Counterfeits
Patients can take measures to protect themselves against counterfeit medications, says Connie Jung from the Office of Drug Security, Integrity and Recall of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Speaking at the 2011 Partnership for Safe Medicines Interchange, she said that patients first of all need to be aware of the risk of receiving counterfeit…
[...]MHRA – FDA Cooperation Rousts Counterfeit Cancer Drugs
Cooperation between the U.K.’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency and the USFDA brought the counterfeit Avastin distribution to light in the U.S. when MHRA officials let U.S. Food and Drug Administration agents know in December that they suspected the problem.
MHRA officials notified U.S. agents and Roche, which led Roche to test and confirm the vital life-saving medication as counterfeit last week, reported Reuters.
“As tragic as this incident is, it is to the credit of the manufacturer and law enforcement that they’ve been able to track down the source of the supplier of the counterfeit medication and contact their other customers. In many countries counterfeits make their way to patients without anyone ever being held accountable,” said Partnership for Safe Medicine’s board member Tom Kubic, President and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Security Institute.
Connie Jung, of the FDA’s Office of Drug Security, said it was possible that more than the 19 originally notified practices could be involved and warned that if a price appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.
Sources say that Montana Health Care Solutions sold the vials for 25% less than the expected cost, reports ABC World News.
Patients are beginning to be aware of the counterfeits, with growing outrage.
Said cancer patient Diane Barraza to ABC World News, “To sit in the chemo chair and watch that stuff drop into my veins,” who lives in Fullerton, Calif., with her 6-year-old daughter. “It’s all I’ve got. And it might just be water?”